Empowerment of Vocational Training Centers' Trainees, in Bumula Sub-County, Kenya

Abstract

The objectives of the study were to identify the challenges facing public VTCs in Bumula sub County and to establish possible solutions to the challenges facing public VTCs in Bumula Sub County. Therefore, the descriptive survey research design was adopted and it was guided by the theory of cost benefit analysis. To arrive at an appropriate sample sizes, the table of the research advisors (2006) was used basing on a confidence level of 95% and a margin error of 5.0%. Whereby, 16 VTCs out of 16, 260 VTC trainees out of 790 and 4 VTC managers and 24 instructors were selected for inclusion in the study. Data was collected using questionnaires, interview schedules and document analysis guide. Finally, the collected data was coded and entered into the computer for analysis using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). This data was then presented in frequency tables, bar graphs and pie charts. The findings of the study was important to the government, the tax payer and for future research in this area of study because it provided feedback about investment in the VTCs and also formed a basis for future research. The conclusions of the study were that some of the challenges facing VTCs which were hindering trainees' empowerment included lack of modern and adequate instruction materials, low academic qualification of the instructors, lack of gender balance, inadequate government support in terms of funding and inadequate instructors.