Chief Principal of the Eldoret National Polytechnic Dr Charles Koech speaks at his office / MATHEWS NDANYIThe Eldoret National Polytechnic is expanding its training programmes through partnerships with counties and other institutions to attract more young people to technical and vocational education.
The expansion has been welcomed by stakeholders and parents, who say it will help equip more youth with practical skills needed in sectors such as construction and other areas of the informal economy.
More than 10,000 youth have benefited from the institution's Recognition of Prior Learning programme, which enables artisans to obtain formal certification for skills acquired through experience.
Uasin Gishu residents have urged the government to further support the expansion of the polytechnic, saying the institution has grown into one of the country's leading technical colleges and requires more facilities to accommodate the increasing number of trainees.
Led by Benjamin Leting, the residents credited chief principal Dr Charles Koech with transforming the institution and raising its profile nationally and internationally.
"Since he took over the leadership of the institution, it has been ranked among the top 10 TVET colleges in the country," Leting said.
"He has also spearheaded the expansion of the college's programmes to counties such as Turkana, Busia and West Pokot."
He said the expansion has enabled more students to access quality technical training recognised both locally and internationally.
Recently, the polytechnic signed a deal to support the development of TVET training in Busia county through an initiative spearheaded by Teso North MP Oku Kaunya.
Leting also welcomed the government's pledge to increase capitation for TVET institutions.
"We thank the Education CS for promising increased capitation for polytechnics, TVETs and schools to enable them to operate effectively," he said.
The residents also praised Kenya's Ambassador to Australia Wilson Kogo for helping foster partnerships between Kenyan TVET institutions and Australian institutions to expand technical training opportunities and prepare more graduates for international employment.
The polytechnic has also signed a deal with Startup Lions to equip young people from Turkana county with life and digital skills.
Startup Lions operates a campus in Turkana offering digital empowerment programmes in information technology, entrepreneurship and fair-trade job creation.
Dr Koech said the partnership has strengthened the Recognition of Prior Learning programme by making Startup Lions an assessment centre accredited through the TVET Authority.
"Startup Lions becomes an assessment centre for Eldoret National Polytechnic, which has been accredited by the TVET Authority to offer Recognition of Prior Learning," he said.
He said the institution, which now has more than 18,000 students, remains committed to empowering young people through strategic partnerships.
The polytechnic has also become a benchmark institution, attracting delegations from across the country seeking to learn from its facilities and training programmes.
Dr Koech attributed the institution's growth to investments in modern training facilities, government support and collaboration with development partners.
"We are ready to share our experiences and partner with other institutions to help develop training programmes for the benefit of our youth," he said.
He said the government, under President William Ruto, had prioritised the expansion of the TVET sector through the construction of more institutions and improved facilities.
"We fully support the President's vision for the TVET sector, which is key to giving our youth the training opportunities they need," Koech said.
The college admitted about 4,000 students during its latest intake last September.
"We had many students who qualified for university but chose to join the polytechnic because of the quality training we now offer as a national polytechnic," he said.
Located on the Eldoret-Kisumu Road, the institution also operates a town campus in Eldoret with more than 2,000 learners, bringing its total student population to more than 18,000.
