Keroka Technical commercialises programmes, to raise enrolment

Keroka Technical Training Institute's Department of Building and Civil Engineering has moved into large-scale cabro manufacturing. [Eric Abuga, Standard]

Keroka Technical Training Institute plans to enroll an extra 3,000 students and complete the commercialisation of some of its courses.

Principal Haron Maosa said the institution is expanding in terms of its infrastructure and labour to ensure that they have the capacity to enroll more students.

"TVET works, and this is the sure future in the labour market," he said.

Damaris Gwako, the deputy principal in charge of administration, explained that the Kenya Bureau of Standards has given them the go ahead and they have moved into fully-fledged commercialisation of the cabro making.

The Department of Building and Civil Engineering has already moved into large-scale cabro manufacturing. They sell them at Sh6 less than the market price.

"We have done away with mud in our institute and replaced it with cabros. The machine has been useful to our college, and most of the work is being done by the students," she said

Academic Registrar Alfred Abaga said the institution's population matches the equipment they have.

"We want to bring value to our institution. We have exchange programmes to bring value to our education and learners. We have Young Africa Works and Canadian institutions to enable our trainers to have hands-on skills" he said.

Maosa said eh will work with other stakeholders, including the Church and the Provincial Administration, to ensure that all students who qualify to join TVET institutions are given a chance to pursue their careers.

"Ours is to bridge the gap that is created by unemployment. The labour market is in demand of technically equipped students. The commercialization and innovation in some of our departments is long overdue, we are moving there through partnerships."

The Ministry of Education is already crafting policies and guidelines to enable TVETs to create endowment funds that will provide the institutions with money to ramp up their research facilities and invest in the market for additional revenue.

Currently, the institution has a population of 4,480.

"We are moving towards becoming the springboard of economic development in the country by allowing our students to have adequate capacity building."