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Each of the 47 county governments will establish and run at least one vocational education and training centre if a proposed bill is passed by Senate and assented to by the President.

County Vocational Education and Training Bill, 2020 provides a legal framework to govern the establishment and management of vocational education and training within the counties.

The proposed law by Nominated Senator Dr Alice Milgo gives the devolved units immense powers in the establishment, running and licensing of the centres within their territory.

“Each county government shall, in consultation with the relevant stakeholders, establish and maintain such vocational education and training centres,” reads the bill.

The Fourth Schedule of the Constitution gives the county governments the mandate to establish and manage village polytechnics and home craft centres.

However, there is no law to provide for the procedure of establishing including licensing and running of the polytechnics.

The proposed bill which was introduced in the senate for first reading on Tuesday stipulates that the counties shall put in place the necessary training infrastructure, equipment, learning and teaching resources in the delivery of vocational education and training.

“Each county government shall be responsible for the overall governance and management of vocational education and training under this Act within the respective county,” it further says.

The devolved units shall be required to formulate and implement county specific programmes, plans and policies to ensure availability, accessibility and effective delivery of vocational education and training.

They will also be responsible for the staffing of personnel in vocational education and training institutions in the county and supervision of vocational education and training within the county.

The counties, in consultation with the National Council for Persons with Disabilities, establish a mechanism for the identification of trainees with special needs.

Vocational education

It shall put in place such measures as may be necessary to ensure access to and provision of vocational education and training to trainees with special needs.

The Bill mandates the national government, through the Cabinet Secretary in charge of Education, develop an education, training and research policy on county vocational education and Training.

The CS will also develop examination standards and certification as well as a curriculum and co-curricular on vocational education and training.

The Ministry shall also accredit institutions and programmes on county vocational training and education.

The county government, may partner with a private person or a religious institution to sponsor a public vocational education and training centre.

The devolved shall also be obligated to license private entities to establish the centres provided they confine to the set out law.

“A sponsor shall not compromise the implementation of any law applicable to the vocational education and training centre or compromise the professional standards and ethics of instructions in a vocational education and training centre,” reads the Bill in part.

It adds, a person shall not own or operate a private vocational education and training centre unless the centre is registered in accordance with the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Act.

The county executive committee member in charge of vocational education shall keep and maintain a register of persons registered to provide vocational education and training within the county.

They will also license vocational education and training centres within the county and restore suspended or canceled licenses.

The counties shall run the centers through an established Board of Governors which shall not be a corporate entity.

“The county executive committee member shall appoint the persons nominated to the Board by a notice in the county gazette,” the Bill says.

The Boards, shall among others, oversee the provision of education and training in the centre and manage the property of the vocational education and training centre.