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{
    "id": 1394185,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1394185/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 340,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Machogu",
    "speaker_title": "The Cabinet Secretary for Education",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13458,
        "legal_name": "Ezekiel Machogu Ombaki",
        "slug": "ezekiel-machogu-ombaki"
    },
    "content": "employment opportunities in the lower cadre that I have said, it is the local community that can benefit. Additionally, even when there are casual employment opportunities, the members of the local community, particularly when we have any construction sites within universities, which as you are aware, have been quite a number and even for the university’s funds, we engage casual employees from the local community. Also, the universities impact very positively on the local communities because they offer business opportunities such as accommodation hostels for the university students and staff. Also, the normal supplies to the university are done by the communities. From a policy standpoint, we always encourage universities to engage in research and community outreach, such that the findings of any research done can be of impact to the surrounding local community. For instance, if you go to the University of Dedan Kimathi, you can see the kind of engagements they have done in matters of coffee growing and the great impact that it has had on the surrounding communities. I think we have covered all the areas in that particular Question. I would like to go to the other section, also on Kirinyaga. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the other one is about what the national Government is doing to establish a national Polytechnic in Kirinyaga. As we are all aware, in 2016 the Government came up with a policy of establishing at least one national polytechnic in every county. This was focusing on the constitutional principles of equity, regional balance and devolution of services. Alongside this, there was also a sub-policy of establishing at least one Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Institution in each constituency in all our 290 constituencies. As of now, with effect from 2016, immediately there were parameters and there was a clear criterion given which TVET institution will qualify to be in a national polytechnic status. Among the criteria that we followed was that the acreage must be a minimum of 50 hectares and they must have a title for that and accreditation from the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TVETA) for the programmes that they offer, which must be approved. Additionally, it must also be situated in high potential area where there is demand for TVET courses. Of course, once we establish a national polytechnic, there must be a request from the local stakeholders for the establishment of a national polytechnic. In the case of Kirinyaga, we have three Technical Training Institutions (TTIs). One is Kirinyaga Central TTI, which is in Kirinyaga Central Constituency, where we have only 93 trainees. The next one we have is in Mwea Constituency, the Mwea TTI, which has 232 trainees. The third one is in Ndia TTI, and it has only 594 trainees. The one which is undergoing construction is the Gichugu TTI, which is 80 per cent complete. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, out of these four, we have not as yet received any such application for the settlement, so that we can undertake the necessary process that TVET undertakes for it to be known whether it qualifies for a national polytechnic or it does not."
}