Tvet heads push for Sh4.7b capitation, want own agency

Tvet heads and their deputies are meeting at the PrideInn Flamingo Beach Resort & Spa, Mombasa. [Omondi Onyango, Standard]

Heads of technical training institutions have urged the government to disburse capitation grants.

Technical and Vocational Education and Training (Tvet) institutions are also seeking to have an independent management agency.

Speaking at the PrideInn Flamingo Beach Resort & Spa, Mombasa, where the heads and their deputies are meeting, they said their institutions were grappling with a deficit of Sh4.7 billion, and hence weighed down by debts.

The Kenya Association of Technical Training Institutions (Katti) said the government has not released capitation for the third and fourth quarters.

"Principals are not comfortable. They cannot sit in their offices because their institutions have incurred debts... If we do not get funds in May we might differ sports and other activities," said Katti chairman, David Mwangi.

Mwangi, who is the principal of the Nyeri National Polytechnic, also called on the government to establish a management body equivalent to the Teachers Service Commission.

Addressing the conference under the theme Building Leadership Capacity in Tvet Institutions for Accelerated Youth Empowerment, Tvet Principal Secretary Esther Muoria assured she was pushing for the release of the money.

"The President (William Ruto) will soon meet Katti and university heads and make and announce a new funding model. The figure will be enhanced by almost twice," she said.

The government pays Sh30,000 per student per year. The annual fee stands at Sh56,420 per student.

She also challenged the institutions to come up with income-generation activities. Dr Muoria noted that Eldoret National Polytechnic has already come up with a cattle-rearing project and was currently developing a biogas project.

"We should start thinking about establishing industries in our institutions," she said.

She also promised to push for the establishment of a management body for Tvets that may be named the Trainers' Council.

At the same time, the PS told politicians not to interfere with the running of Tvet institutions, saying some of them reject principals in their areas.

The conference discussed the recrafting of the curricula to match the job market in the country and abroad.

"When I said let us recraft the curricula some of you are dragging your feet. I am not going to allow those who resist... Katti executive should sit down with the ministry officials to ensure that we revise the current curricula to match the needs of the industry," she said.

Mwangi also urged for the deployment of registrars, deans of students and finance officers.