has announced it will sponsor 3,000 students who sat the 2016 KCSE examination to join mid-level colleges this year.
The bank, through the Equity Group Foundation, has partnered with the German government-owned development bank KfW under the Wings to Fly programme that will see some of the students enrol for three-month certificate courses and others for full diploma studies in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (Tvet) institutions countrywide.
Those enrolling in diploma courses will be sponsored for the first six months of study, and will thereafter apply to the Higher Education Loans Board (Helb) to finance the rest of their education.
Equity Group CEO James Mwangi said the beneficiaries participated in a three-day induction to introduce them to Tvet programmes to help them chose right courses.
“Given the high rates of youth unemployment, skills-based training offers the fastest way to secure jobs and to advance in a technical skills-based career path,” said Mr Mwangi.
“The initiative is informed by the group’s first-hand experience through the Wings to Fly program 2013-2015 alumni who are currently enrolled in TVET institutions.”
The Wings to Fly programme has so far benefited 14,368 students in eight years. Two weeks ago, it granted scholarships to 1,700 joining various secondary schools across the country.
Kenya has more than 60 public and private Tvet institutions, which offer certificate and diploma courses in disciplines such as building and construction, carpentry and joinery, engineering, textile-based programmes, catering, hospitality, ICT and business studies.
The 2016 KCSE exams, which were administered under enhanced security measures to curb cheating, had 88,000 qualifying to join public universities on scoring C+ (plus) and above.