Nairobi, January 26, 2017 – Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) is beginning the implementation of a new Education for Employment program to strengthen and support technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in Kenya. The new program was launched today at a reception held at the Hands on the Future National TVET Conference and Skills Show in Nairobi, Kenya.
This followed the completion of a baseline mission by CICan, which visited all of the ten national polytechnics in Kenya. The Kenyan institutions will be matched with ten Canadian colleges and institutes over the coming weeks.
The Kenya Education for Employment Program (KEFEP) is a five-year initiative offered in collaboration with Kenya’s Ministry of Education and funded by the Government of Canada. KEFEP will work with national polytechnics across Kenya to develop new or enhanced competency-based programs in the agriculture and energy sectors, in order to increase employment and economic development opportunities for Kenyan youth.
“We are very happy to see this new program take shape and cannot wait to begin working with our Kenyan counterparts to provide new education opportunities to Kenya’s young men and women”, said CICan president and CEO, Denise Amyot. “This remains the best way to increase economic opportunities for young Kenyans, which in turn will support local growth and development.”
“We have witnessed the Government of Kenya’s commitment to improve the access and the quality of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training sector”, added Canada’s High Commissioner to Kenya, Sara Hradecky. “Canada is proud to be supporting these efforts here in Kenya.”
Over the next five years, 1,200 Kenyan youth are expected to graduate from KEFEP-supported programs.
Colleges and Institutes Canada is the national and international voice of Canada’s publicly supported colleges, institutes, cegeps and polytechnics. Its members work with industry and social sectors to train 1.5 million learners of all ages and backgrounds at campuses serving over 3,000 urban, rural and remote communities in Canada. CICan and its members are committed to driving Canadian prosperity by being global leaders in applied education and partnered innovation.
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For more information:
Julien Abord-Babin
Senior Strategic Communications Officer
Colleges and Institutes Canada
jabord-babin@collegesinstitutes.ca
Tel. : 613-746-2222 ext. 3131
Twitter : @CollegeCan