Why Kiambu’s Ting’ang’a Ward Residents Want A Vocational Training Institute
Lawrence Mwaura making his contributions inside the County Assembly of Kiambu chambers.
By Felix Njenga
Worth Noting:
- Ruth Waithera a youth said that due to lack of a VTC in the Ward many who did not attain grades to enrol in universities or college are left hopeless since they have no skills that can help them fend for themselves.
- “You will find that those students who got D+ in their KCPE exams and below are sitting idle in the villages. if there is a VTC they could enroll and acquire skills that may help them. We passed that a VTC be put up at Benson Njau primary school, we are now being told that the BOM of the school has refused the views of the public despite the school having a lot of space to put up a VTC,” Waithera said.
Residents of Ting’ang’a ward in Kiambu Township constituency have demanded for Kiambu county government to build a Vocational Training Center (VTC) so that the youth can access technical skills.
The residents are concerned why the implementation of the project has not yet begun as resolved through a public participation forum held early this year.
The VTC is supposed to be constructed inside Benson Njau primary school as it has space to host the skilled base institution.
“As parents are concerned for our children who have left high school and are sitting idle at home without any skills. We are seeing our youths indulging in alcoholism due to idleness. We want our VTC to be opened so that we can equip our children with necessary skills that can help them acquire jobs or be self employed,” Grace Wambui, a resident said.
Ruth Waithera a youth said that due to lack of a VTC in the Ward many who did not attain grades to enrol in universities or college are left hopeless since they have no skills that can help them fend for themselves.
“You will find that those students who got D+ in their KCPE exams and below are sitting idle in the villages. if there is a VTC they could enroll and acquire skills that may help them. We passed that a VTC be put up at Benson Njau primary school, we are now being told that the BOM of the school has refused the views of the public despite the school having a lot of space to put up a VTC,” Waithera said.
The residents took issue with the area member of parliament Machua Waithaka accusing him of having a hand in the VTC not being built by the county government due to a letter he wrote questioning whether the Benson Njau Primary school land is a national government land or is it a county government land and indicating that his office intends to build a national polytechnic rather than a VTC.
“Our MP has disputed the views of Ting’ang’a people who through public participation unanimously passed that a VTC be put up inside Benson Njau primary school which has space. We need a VTC since our children are in dire need as not all parents can afford to take their children to private colleges and they can get skills in the VTC,” Charity Githinji, a resident.
The resident said that politics has marred the process of having a VTC be put up which they have called upon leaders to desist from politics and act in the best interest of the people.
“We do not want politics, let’s put politics aside because as parents we want our children who are sitting idle at home without skills to have somewhere they can get skills that will help them,’ she said.
According to Lawrence Mwaura area member of county assembly who has championed for the VTC in the ward since year 2014 said that the prayer of Ting’ang’a ward people to have a VTC be put up was heard by the county government and Sh 31 million has since been put aside for the construction of the VTC to be implemented in the 2025/2026 financial year.
“A public participation forum held at the Ting’ang’a ward shopping center where the community resolved that a VTC be put up inside Benson Njau primary school,” Mwaura said.
He said while in quest for the VTC a meeting between the office of the MP, MCa, county education office and Benson Njau board of management was convened and all parties were in agreement that a public participation be done to so as to start the process of having a VTC inside Benson Njau.
“During the public participation the office of the MP, county education office and Benson Njau board of management did not attend despite a notice of invite sent to churches and media for participation being effected,” he said.
Mwaura said that he was met with shock after the Benson Njau Primary school BOM wrote to the governor through CECM education that they do not want a VTC to be built inside the school.
“The policy of both national and county governments is that in every ward in the country there should be a VTC. Ting’ang’a ward is the only ward within Kiambu constituency out of the four wards without a VTC. it is not a good picture that a BOM can write a letter to say that they do not want a VTC,” he said.
He said that a student who got a D- grade in their exams has nowhere to go to further their studies but VTC’s have come in to give them hope and give them skills.
“When a county government has approved the construction of a VTC and a school board refuses development it is an embarrassment,” he said.
He added that the member of parliament has a conflict of interest as he has written a letter asking who has approved the county government to construct a VTC in Benson Njau primary school.
“I did my research as the area MCA and i found out that the Benson Njau Primary school land is registered as community trust land which does not belong to the national or county government but rather a community land given many years ago by the late Benson Njau who said that the land should serve as an area where educational facility may be put up for Ting’ang’a people,” he said.
Efforts to get comments from the area Member of Parliament Mburu Machua were futile as his phone was switched off.
He said that the challenge that is being faced is that when a student from other wards applies for bursary they are given capitation but for Ting’ang’a ward does not benefit.
“When Ting’ang’a ward students apply for bursary in other wards they are not considered since they are not from the other wards. That is the main challenge my people are facing. That is why they are demanding that the ward must have a VTC,” he said.
He said that the school BOM should listen to the needs of the community and that is a VTC be put for their children
He however called on the clergy and community leaders in the area to come out and champion for the VTC to be put up since money has been set aside for its construction.
‘Our community leaders and clergy let us not allow the VTC to elude the people of Ting’ang’a,’ he said.
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