Commercialisation of the National Youth Service will require a seed capital of Sh4 billion, according to the Deputy Head of Public Service Amos Gathecha.
The Public Service and Human Capital Development said it has already formed a commercial entity to review and align NYS services to the market needs.
The ministry, however noted that the office of the Auditor General is holding back approvals for the NYS Commercial Enterprises-the ‘vehicle’ through which the service will be rendered.
Speaking shortly after taking over the office from Gathecha who has been Acting, the new Public Service Principal Secretary Jane Imbunya, said that commercialisation of the entity will require among others a restructuring of the services offered.
“For NYS the office will look at the training programme vis-à-vis the duration because there is the notion that everything is paramilitary, so we look at that and see how we can help each other, how do we ensure quality and relevance in the programmes,” said Imbunya.
“I want the NYS Commandant General James Tembur to submit plans on digitisation of learning, what efforts are being put in place to ensure that you (NYS) have an Learning Management System in place.”
During an NYS passing-out parade on March 3, 2023, the president directed that the youth intake be increased from 10,000 to 100,000 annually and that the NYS become a self-sustaining government agency by the Financial Year 2027-2028.
However, the ministry argued that the current budget can only support 10,000 recruits.
Gathecha said to achieve this, the ministry has been working on establishing a commercial entity within NYS, with the process currently awaiting the Attorney-General's.
“This is an ambitious programme that requires close collaboration between the Ministry and various stakeholders. It’s a priority that must be actualised urgently. The government has committed an initial Sh250 million in seed capital, with another tranche of the same amount expected upon registration,” he said.
The PS take over several high-impact projects, as the government intensifies reforms across the sector.
Among the top priorities is the Kenya School of Government (KSG), which is currently grappling with over Sh1billion in unpaid training fees from various public institutions.
To address this, the ministry is considering a plan to ring-fence training funds and elevate KSG into a Centre of Excellence under the African Union framework.
Despite an ambitious goal to establish 290 Huduma Centres nationwide, only 58 have been completed to date.
“Construction is ongoing in regions such as Kaloleni, Ganze, and Molo. A draft policy and bill proposing a "one-stop-shop" service model is now awaiting Cabinet approval,” said Gathecha.
Meanwhile, public service insurance remains a concern. While the civil servant medical fund administered by the Social Health Authority (SHA) continues to function, group life and personal accident covers have been suspended due to unpaid premiums—a development that has sparked alarm among workers.
The outgoing PS said that to professionalise the civil service efforts have been channeled through the Institute of Human Resource Management (IHRM), which caters to both public and private sector HR professionals.
Although the institute received Sh50 million in the last supplementary budget, its long-term viability remains uncertain as the government seeks to reduce dependence on exchequer support.
“We have been supporting them with some budget. At one time, the budget was removed but we've been able to write to Treasury. They have been given some 50 million. They were given in the last supplementary budget about 50 million. That is to support them. But we need to think about sustainability,” concluded Gathecha
Comments 0
Sign in to join the conversation
Sign In Create AccountNo comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!