Lodwar, 7th November 2024 (Public Communications and Media Relations)
The County Government of Turkana announced a partnership with the International Labour Organization to develop the county’s first strategic plan for vocational training. The three-year plan, covering 2025-2027, will be finalized by the end of December 2024.
The initiative comes in response to challenges facing the vocational training sector in Turkana, including low enrollment rates and negative perceptions among youth. The plan aims to address these issues and align with national education goals, the governor’s nine-point agenda, and local labor needs.
“The partnership with ILO will enable us to build a comprehensive and inclusive three-year roadmap…while meeting local labor needs,” said Leah Losiru, Chief Officer for Sports and Vocational Training.
The three-day workshop was held in Lodwar, where managers from the county’s eight vocational training centers drafted the initial framework for the plan. Losiru stressed the importance of aligning the plan with the governor’s vision of revitalizing education and making TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) a desirable option for young people.
“The strategy will reshape vocational training as an attractive option for youth and help to address the current enrollment challenges,” she added.
Stephen Eregae, Director of Vocational Training, echoed Losiru’s sentiments, urging TVET management teams to embrace the transformative potential of the strategic plan. Eregae emphasized the collaborative nature of the process, stating that the draft plan would undergo stakeholder consultations before its formal adoption by the county government.
Eregae commended the ILO for its ongoing support, highlighting previous successful collaborations such as upskilling programs in cobblestone technology that have equipped local youth with paving and stone-shaping skills.
The strategic plan, the first of its kind in Turkana, will serve as a foundation for further development of TVET programs in the county. The tentative launch date for the plan is set for January 2025, following its completion in December 2024.
