[Graduate Internship Program (GRIP) chairman Steve Sandagi (in focus) shortly before he spoke at the GRIP's event. [Photo/Brian Itava]
Some 65 KCSE and KCPE school leavers who did make it to tertiary colleges and Form I respectively have benefitted from a one-month skills training programme sponsored by a local Community Based Organization (CBO).
Addressing the press at Life Frontier primary school on Saturday where the graduation took place, the Graduate Internship Program (GRIP) chairman Steve Sandagi said that the main aim of the program is to upscale the quality of education among school leavers and impart the necessary skills and knowledge that will enable them to become self-dependent.
Sandagi said the career guidance programme is also meant to instill hope to those who did perform well either in secondary and primary level.
“Failing in an exam does not make one a failure. The main aim of the programme was to create awareness,” Sandagi said."
The CBO realized that there are two important institutions within this region (Garissa University and North Eastern national polytechnic) which are providing opportunities for students who may not have gotten good grades to enable them to continue with their education," he added.
The chairman said many youths are not aware of these opportunities and the CBO through the programme is trying to reach them especially in the neighboring locations which do not have the infrastructure like those in Madogo and Garissa.
“There is no excuse why somebody cannot be able to pursue further education,” he said.
Sadangi said they will be running a similar programme in July this year to enable the youth who came late and could not be accommodated.
He said the programme in future will target far flanked villages that for one reason or another to have the same opportunities as those in urban areas. The official said a programme to monitor the grandaunts' career progress for the next 5 years has also been put in place to ensure that they don’t waste themselves.
County Executive Committee member for education, youth, culture, gender, sports and social service Abbas Kunyo said that Tana River county government will ensure that all programs meant to uplift the well-being of the youth, women, and people with disabilities as captured in the County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP) are fully implemented.
“We shall empower community programmes geared towards improving the capacity of the youth, people living with disability and women. We shall recognize and empower them so that they can participate in nation-building,” Abbas said.
One of the beneficiaries Hassan Said thanked the CBO for coming with the programme but also challenged other organizations, the national and county governments to come up with funds to enable the youth access loans to start up businesses and be self-employed.
Hassan said employment opportunities cannot accommodate all the youth seeking for jobs but with the necessary skills, they become self-employed.
He also urged the county government to set aside funds for skills improvement for students who don’t make it beyond class eight and form four.