Cabinet waives National ID card requirement for Higher Education Funding

The cabinet of President William Ruto took steps Tuesday to remove barriers to higher education, waiving national identity card requirements for youth and upgrading vocational colleges in a bid to fulfill the administration’s promises on access.

Meeting under Ruto’s chairmanship, the cabinet waived ID requirements for university students under 18 seeking Higher Education Funding loans and directed the Education Ministry to fast-track scholarship access, according to a despatch from the session.

“Cabinet waived the requirement for national identity cards for students who have not attained the age of 18, and further directed the Ministry of Education, jointly with all stakeholders, to fast-track access to scholarships for all eligible students,” the despatch said.

In a pivotal move to enhance vocational education, the cabinet also approved upgrading 13 technical training colleges to national polytechnic status. Ruto had vowed on the campaign trail to establish a technical college in every constituency.

“The action by Cabinet is pursuant to the principles set out in Sessional Paper No. 1 of 2005: A Framework for Education, Training and Research; which establishes a pathway for upward mobility of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) graduates,” the despatch said.

The elevated institutions include the Maasai Technical Training Institute and the Kiambu Institute of Science and Technology.

Others are; Rift Valley Institute of Science and Technology, Coast Institute of Technology, Tseikuru Technical & Training College, Sang’alo Institute of Science & Technology, Bureti Technical Vocational College, Jeremiah Nyagah Technical Training Institute, Mawego Technical Training Institute, and Baringo Technical Training Institute.

Ruto has promoted technical education as part of his “hustler” political brand. He has said vocational skills offer youth an alternative path to white-collar careers that often prove elusive.

Among the policy objectives outlined at the start of Ruto’s term was establishing a technical college in every constituency. With over 290 constituencies nationally, reaching that goal will require years of steady upgrades.