Vihiga Vocational Trainees To Benefit From County Grant

Trainees and the larger Technical and Vocational Training fraternity in Vihiga County have a reason to smile after the County cabinet approved the County Capitation Policy for vocational training.

Speaking in Emuhaya in a meeting with a section of the Training Centres managers, Governor Wilber Ottichilo said his administration is committed in improving infrastructure in the centres within the county.

“For a long time our VTCs have been neglected hence we want to change the narrative and I want to assure you of my full support”, said Ottichilo.

A newly adopted Capitation Policy by the cabinet now allows the County Government through the Directorate of TVET to disburse funds to VTCs to cover for tuition training.

 As per the policy, every trainee is set to get Ksh. 15,000 for training from the County Government. This will be an addition to the 15,000 shillings per trainee in Subsidised Vocational Training Centres Grant being given by the National Government totalling to 30,000 shillings per trainee.

The move by the County now makes tuition in VTCs absolutely free with parents only required to pay for examination fees.

Ottichilo says there is need to harmonize the Capitation Policy at the National level so as to give VTCs a chance to flourish.The meeting with the managers was to deliberate on how to prudently run VTCs .

Governor Ottichilo challenged the centre’s managers to be innovative in order to catch up with the emerging technological changes.

County CEC Member Henry Lumbasio said his department is committed to ensuring the general welfare of staff in VTCs is well catered for while Chief Officer for TVET Abisai Amatalo said there is need for VTCs to be more creative so as to attract increased enrolment.

Also present at the meeting were TVET Director Charles Avedi and Sub County TVET officers Rutger Igunza (Vihiga), Fred Oliambo (Sabatia), Pauline Mwashi (Hamisi) and Edward Amufa (Emuhaya/Luanda).

The County Government intimated it will soon be recruiting 131 instructors to mitigate the existing shortage of instructors.