By Matilda Atieno
Kisumu County Vocational Education and Training held its first in-person graduation ceremony since Covid-19; the celebration brought together a record of 2,259 students after completing vocational training courses from all the 26 VTCs across the county.
The graduation ceremony was held on Friday 25th March 2022 at the Kisumu rotary youth training Centre in the presence of the ICT and Innovation Secretary of Administration Mrs. Lucy Kaguthi who represented Principal Secretary, State Department of ICT & Innovation, Jerome Ochieng’ and the Deputy Governor Dr. Mathew Owili who represented Kisumu Governor Prof. Nyong’o.
In a speech read by the Deputy Governor, Kisumu Governor, Prof Nyong’o, congratulated the graduating class, noting that the county’s ceremony promotes the institutions, which in the past have lacked such exposure adding that the idea of holding a mass graduation ceremony makes a lot of economic, academic, and social sense.
“What we are witnessing today is a confirmation that the County Government of Kisumu has made major milestones in its mandate of promoting tertiary education. It is proof that devolution is working and is a success.” Said Governor.
The governor applauded the county Department of Education ICT and Human Capacity Development for the major milestones in its mandate of promoting tertiary education and the expansion of vocational training centers with three more to be established and approximately KSh 206 Million in capitation grants.
On her side, Secretary of Administration Mrs. Kaguthi stated that the government has far institutionalized VTCs to catalyze the development of relevant and adequate skills necessary to spur industrial and economic development in the country.
The ceremony kicked off with a processional march from the Governor’s office to the Rotary youth training centre where the graduating class was conferred the certificates of qualification.