TVET Principal Secretary Esther Muoria
The government is implementing transformative reforms to revitalise the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector to make it responsive to the evolving demands of the labour market. The State Department of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Principal Secretary Esther Muoria emphasises the periodic review of the TVET curriculum to ensure relevance to the evolving needs of the job market. The ongoing reforms are not merely policy actions but are the foundation for a brighter future for the TVET sector and the nation as a whole. The shared goal between the government and stakeholders is to shape the path towards creating opportunities for the youth and giving them a chance to contribute to the growth and development of the nation and the world.
Teenage pregnancies among girls aged 15–19 in Turkana County are 19%, above the 15% recorded nationwide, according to the latest Kenya Demographic and Health Survey. The fertility rate for women in the county is higher than the national average, with an average of one woman delivering six children. County commissioner Jacob Ouma criticised the trend and warned against the abuse of girls, stating that girls should be left alone to pursue their education. Modern family planning methods were used less among married women aged 15–49, but the unmet need for family planning was slightly higher than the national average. The survey found that 55% of women aged 15–49 in Turkana County were satisfied with modern methods. The findings will help in planning, monitoring, and evaluating various county programmes and policies, and they will also help development partners identify areas needing intervention.
The Directorate of Children’s Services and partners are organising a foster focus week in Kiambu County from Monday next week to Sunday, to raise national awareness about foster care and its implementation. The week aims to highlight the success of foster care over the last two years and move away from institutionalised care through children’s homes. The week will feature events highlighting families and children who have gone through the process of fostering, celebrating their achievements, sharing success stories, and incorporating training for foster parents and activities for children. The non-profit Child in Family Focus Kenya will lead the planning team, which includes sensitising foster care to community health promoters, providing 3-day training for foster parents and prospective foster parents, and concluding with a foster parents’ appreciation day and a children’s fun day. The Directorate of Children’s Services reports that there are an estimated 45,000 children living in over 845 charitable children’s institutions (CCIs) and 1,000–1,200 children living in 28 government-run institutions.
The NGO Council of Kenya has called for the establishment of a floods and heavy rains alert system to ensure residents of at-risk areas evacuate before being marooned by floods. The Council has delivered warnings to high-risk communities via social media, public address systems, and community health volunteers. They are calling for more safety measures to minimise the loss of lives in affected areas. The Kenya Meteorological Department predicts persistent rainfall and storms, with several counties at risk of flooding, potentially leading to livelihood loss. NGO Council National Chairman Stephen Cheboi commended President William Ruto for allocating funds to counties for flood emergencies and called on the government to allocate more funds. He also suggested the evacuation of communities along river banks to avoid more disasters due to river overflow. A Humanitarian Action was launched in collaboration with the NGO Council and Global Partnership Organisation, establishing Technical Working Groups to work and sustain humanitarian crises in high-risk communities.
Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga has criticised the rampant consumption of illicit brews in Central Kenya, calling it a serious threat to future generations. According to a 2022 report from the National Authority for the Campaign Against Drug and Alcohol Abuse (NACADA), 635,000 people in the area were found to be addicted to alcoholism and drugs, almost tying with the population of Nyeri. Kahiga called for the establishment of three other facilities within the Central Region to ensure people living in adjacent counties do not have to travel far to seek treatment. He also promised to facilitate the speedy deployment of medics to the facility, which is categorised as a Level Four hospital and the first public institution of its kind in the Central and Rift Valley regions.
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