Coast may lose some colleges to low enrolment

 By Monica Kagia

The government may shut down some Technical and Vocational Training Institutes (TVETs) at the Coast because of low enrollment.

Speaking during a meeting with principals of the institutions at Kenya Coast National Polytechnic, TVETs PS Kevit Desai (pictured) said the number of students joining the facilities is way below the average despite massive financial and resource investment by the government. 

Only five per cent of youths in the region attend the colleges, which is the lowest enrollment in the country.

“The government has pumped about Sh9.2 billion for capitation and soft loans, has employed about 3,000 more trainers and putting in Sh16.5 billion for the new centres of excellence,” he said.

He termed the situation at the training institutes pathetic and blamed local leaders for failing to encourage youths to join the institutions.

“It’s a disappointment because government has prioritized these investments and people are not seeing the value, we are appealing to leaders, chiefs, religious leaders to preach the gospel that it’s important for our children to make use of these institutions,” he said.

Kenya Coast National Polytechnic in Mombasa has about 7,284 students against a 10,000 capacity while Ahmed Shahame Mwidani Technical Training Institute in Changamwe has only registered 400 out of 500 enrollment capacity.

Kinango Technical Training Institute has about 30 against a capacity of 2,000. Taveta Taveta Training Institute has only registered 15 students with a similar capacity of about 2,000 students. 

Coast Institute of Technology is the only institution that has surpassed its capacity having registered 3,040 enrollment against a capacity of 1,900 students.

“It’s necessary that a minimum of 10 per cent of young people be enrolled in these institutions,” the PS said.