The State Department for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Principal Secretary Dr Esther Thaara Muoria has commissioned the Kaare Campus of Muraga Technical Training Institute, a move expected to expand access to technical and vocational skills among youth in Maara Constituency.

The campus, which was established with support from the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) under the leadership of Maara MP Kareke Mbiuki, has already enrolled 71 trainees about three weeks after opening its doors on September 2.

Speaking during the commissioning ceremony, Dr Muoria commended the Kaare community for providing land for the establishment of the institution, saying community ownership was critical in expanding education and skills development opportunities for young people.

She also lauded the Maara MP for supporting the construction of the campus and bringing technical training closer to the community.

Dr Muoria said the focus should now shift to ensuring that the programmes offered at the campus respond to the needs of the community while equipping trainees with skills that can lead to employment, entrepreneurship and further learning.

“The success of this campus will ultimately be measured by the lives it changes and the opportunities it creates,” said Dr Muoria.

She urged the 71 trainees already enrolled to make good use of the opportunity by developing practical skills, discipline and the ability to use their training to create opportunities for themselves and others.

Muraga Technical Training Institute Principal Ms Purity Murithi said the commissioning marked an important milestone for the institution and the community, urging parents and young people in the area to take advantage of the training opportunities available at the campus.

She said the campus currently offers six courses and called on young people who were unsure about where to pursue skills training to enroll.

“Our call to the community is for them to enroll their children here in large numbers to acquire skills that will help them earn a living in the future,” said Ms Murithi.

She, however, identified a shortage of trainers and equipment as some of the challenges facing the new campus, noting that the PS had committed to working towards addressing them.

Ms Murithi added that the Maara MP had committed to supporting the construction of workshops through NG-CDF to accommodate more trainees as the campus expands.

Mr Mbiuki said the new campus marked a major step in expanding access to quality technical and vocational education for young people in the constituency.

He said the campus, though still under development, had already attracted 71 students and was expected to grow into a fully-fledged standalone Technical Training Institute.

The MP said the establishment of the campus would provide young people with an opportunity to acquire practical skills within their community while contributing to local economic development.

Maara MP aspirant Nyaga Kinyua, who attended the event, welcomed the establishment of the campus, saying TVET institutions were important in equipping young people with practical skills and opening opportunities for employment and enterprise.

By Dickson Mwiti