Orengo Vows to Strengthen Vocational Training Centers

SIAYA Governor James Aggrey Bob Orengo has vowed to strengthen Vocational training centers and ensure they thrive for the benefit of the people of Siaya.

Orengo said these while reacting to reports released to him by the NEPAD Secretariat at his Boardroom on Tuesday.

Orengo who lauded the work done by County Peer Review Mechanism team said he was ready to work on the gaps identified in the report and strengthen improved areas.

The Peer Review Mechanism adopted in the County government of Siaya led to the assessment of the 2013-2022 where their survey was based on performance, challenges they have faced and implementation of the activities done by previous regime.

The NEPAD team established a Vocational Training Center together with Electricity connections, Financial services, ICT development, affordable housing, Health, Environmental conservation and youth development as gaps that derailed the region’s service delivery.

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During the meeting Orengo was made to know that its lack of sufficient funding, Finance legislation leading to insufficient or no allocation to key educational activities.

There is restriction by the government on direct funding from development partners and other Non-governmental organizations. The bureaucracies involved in the donor related funds.

According to Member of the County Peer Review Mechanism (CPRM), Dr Josephine Kulea, there is also an inadequate number of instructors at the vocational level.

“There is also a bad perception of the community generally towards enrolment of students to the VCT’s and aggressive awareness should be rolled out to increase enrolment,’ said Kulea.

“It’s unfortunate that youths abandoned the technical courses which are well-paying to pursue University courses. VCTs courses have been left to those with low grades,” she added.

County government through Education department has responded to the gaps identified by the NEPAD Secretariat some of which includes proposing of KES 9 million in the next budget to recruit 20 instructors to the VCT’s.

According Education Chief Officer Nicholas Kut Ochogo, CGS has proposed some KES 9 million towards recruitment of instructors and huge bursary kitty for supporting bright and needy students enrolled at the VCT’s as a way of increasing enrolment in the institutions.

Siaya County survives with 30 VCT’s.

Siaya has improved significantly on Agriculture, public participation, Education, Roads and County law enforcement.

Kulea said the Secretariat will return to the county to ascertain facts and figures that would justify how far they have improved the services.

“We were able to determine that certain areas have been improved and we are looking forward for CGS to come back and review their own performance as the new government. We are also excited about the process because Orengo is welcoming to the idea and he is looking forward for the review process.

 “We are hopeful that Siaya will be one of the Counties that will make us proud on issues development oriented and we are sure that the people of Siaya are getting services and beginning to reap the fruits of devolution,” said Kulea.

Kulea noted that the reports will be key for the creation of a comprehensive document for the African Union where Kenya is a member.

“The information we are collecting from the whole Country is going to help us to showcase how developed, how we are holding accountable our governance or how we make sure we are working for the people at the County and national levels,” said Kulea.