The government has been challenged to prioritise on technical and vocational training institutions so as to contain the high number of unemployed youth in the country.
The government has been further urged to work closely with partners in ensuring the technical training programs is expanded to reach many youth who are yet to join higher learning institution.
Speaking during graduation ceremony for 350 youth from the Coast region who successfully completed a European Union sponsored technical skill training program, the Youth, Empowerment and Employment Coast region Operations officers Benson Macharia said that the program is mainly to enable youth employ themselves.
He said that there should be no failure in the education system and the government should work with other stakeholder to fill the gap between the number of youth in higher learning institutions and those who did not accomplish their basic primary education.
Mr. Macharia said that youth matters should be prioritised so as to deter them from being recruited in criminal gangs or indulge in drug abuse.
“We have a total of 14 technical training centres at the Coast where we conduct our programs, these institutions are spread across all the six Coastal counties,” he added.
He said that investing in technical training to a large extent will propagate self reliance among the youth thus uplifting the living standards of the society.
“Apart from setting them for the market many graduates under the program are able to initiate their income generating projects, and through various government initiated funds, this empowerment and employment program has positively impacted the lives of many Coastal youth,” added Mr. Macharia.
Macharia said that the recruitment is fairly and openly done since the Program officers goes to the field engaging local administration so as to get the right youth for the program.
On her part the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ms. Rukia Rashid urged the Coastal youth to value technical skills so that they can sustain themselves and as well employ their peers.
