The Eldoret National Polytechnic has signed a memorandum of service to help students and young people from Turkana county gain life skills.
The memorandum of service was signed between the polytechnic and Startup Lions, which operates in Turkana. Startup Lions has an established campus that offers digital empowerment programmes in IT education, Fair Trade job creation and entrepreneurship.
Eldoret National Polytechnic chief principal Charles Koech signed the partnership with Brizan Were, the co-founder and CEO of Startup Lions.
Koech said the partnership with Startup Lions welcomed the memorandum of service in the provision of Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) with the Turkana-based institution, which equips hundreds of young people with life skills.
“Startup Lions becomes an assessment centre for Eldoret polytechnic, which has been accredited by the TVET Authority to offer recognition of prior learning,” he said.
Koech said the institution, which has a population of more than 18,000 students, is keen to support young people through partnerships like the one signed with Startup Lions.
Were said the memorandum marked a major step in the dreams of those interested in digital skilling in marginalised regions like Turkana, where many of the young people are talented but have low academic opportunities.
“Partnering with an institution like Eldoret polytechnic is a big step to get more young people certified and to get academic papers, which they can show as proof of what they are capable of doing,” he said.
Were said the institution appreciates President William Ruto for pushing recognition of prior learning agenda in the country.
“This is a major step to get more young people certified, especially in marginalised areas,” he said.
The signing of the partnership was witnessed by Paul Muriithi, an assistant director at TVET Authority.
Muriithi said RPL had gained traction and the authority will ensure quality is maintained and standards are applied so the qualifications awarded to RPL candidates are not questioned by the industry or other stakeholders.
James Mwangi, the deputy principal in charge of academics at the polytechnic, said under the signed memorandum, candidates at Startup Lions will be certified in creative computer design level 4 and web design level 4.
“We have undertaken screening of the portfolio of evidence for 74 students in Lodwar and Kakuma to see if there are gaps that have already been addressed through training. The last stage, which is the assessment, will be done in August,” he said.
Mwangi said the polytechnic is proud to be part of the plan to enhance RPL in Turkana.
Were said the choice of Eldoret National Polytechnic was historical because it is the single institution with the highest number of students from Turkana county.
Community leaders in North Rift, led by Benjamin Leting, Abraham Cheruiyot and Celestine Chelagat, praised principal Koech for driving quick expansion of the Eldoret polytechnic.
