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{
    "id": 1421485,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1421485/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 370,
    "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": " Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. I will start with the question from the hon. Senator from my County, Kisii. We have two categories. One is the Technical Training Institutes (TTIs) under the National Government and which the Government’s policy is to ensure that we establish one in each and every constituency. Up to now, we have 238 established. We have 52 to go and in this Financial Year, we have the budgetary allocation to do 15 of them. Therefore, we will remain with 37. Out of this, it is the Government that will provide funds. Like for each of the 15, we have been provided with Kshs52 million and the constituencies are also supposed to give Kshs10 million, such that the total cost of each and every one of them will be Kshs62 million and not more than that. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, for the students going to these particular colleges, the Government gives capitation, based on the enrolment numbers. We also give capitation to the students joining these TTI colleges. The students also enjoy getting loans from the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) and special grants, which the Government gives. Vocational Training Centres (VTC) is the preserve and responsibility of our county governments. This is clearly spelt out in the Fourth Schedule of our Constitution, which separates functions of the National Government from county governments. As you are aware, before 2021, the national Government used to give conditional grants to the counties for purposes of these VTCs to cater for equipment. However, following arguments and I think consideration between the National Government and county governments, the county governments requested for conversion of this conditional grant of Kshs2 billion to an equalization fund. Unfortunately, since that time, the money is given out by the national Government as equalization fund and it is not used purposely and strictly for VTCs. Some of them are in a pathetic situation. We are in a discussion as Ministry of Education with the county government through the Committee of Education on what we can do to have these VTCs serve the purpose for which they were intended. If we do not get it right here, the kind of skilled people with the kind of competence we require at that particular level will be quite a challenge. Therefore, we are aware of the problem with the VTCs."
}