The government has urged Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions to embrace income-generating projects to supplement limited state funding.

Speaking during the first graduation ceremony since Shamberere National Polytechnic attained its status, Principal Secretary for the State Department for TVET, Dr. Esther Thaara Muoria, said the Treasury allocation was insufficient to meet the needs of all institutions.

“We are all dipping our hands into one cooking pot, and it has not been easy to fund our TVETs. Institutions should devise ways of raising extra income to keep running as they await government capitation,” she said.

The PS noted that some TVETs had already invested in dairy, crop, and vegetable farming, generating funds to support operations.

She praised Shamberere for similar initiatives, including a fully functional guest house, a vibrant farm, and plans for a business hub to market produce. These projects also serve as training grounds for students.

Shamberere Principal Dr. Elisha Nyamu appealed to the government for more funding to expand the 29.9-acre institution, citing the urgent need for additional workshops in engineering, agriculture, automotive, and food and beverage studies to match rising student numbers. He also reminded the state of its Ksh 150 million pledge to build hostels.

Council Chairperson, Engineer Musa Kulubi, urged graduates to apply their skills in employment, entrepreneurship, and leadership, while parents were encouraged to enrol more trainees.

The institution recently inaugurated a Jitume laboratory with 100 computers, enabling local youth to access online jobs. The government has also pledged to construct a 1,200-bed hostel to ease accommodation challenges.

Dr. Muoria said the Kenya Kwanza administration had prioritised TVET under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) to ensure all youth access market-aligned training.

She commended Shamberere’s growth from 3,800 to 7,000 trainees, linking its success to innovative learning and income-generating activities.

She added that ongoing TVET reforms, including the rollout of Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET), dual training policies, and industry linkages, would transform technical institutions into engines of economic empowerment.

“With 1,700 graduands today, Shamberere is well-positioned to lead in preparing future-ready professionals for digital, green, and industrial careers,” she said.