Dr Ekrah Ndung’u Champions Public-Private TVET Partnerships to Expand Opportunities for Kenyan Youth

The National Chairperson of the Kenya National Association of Private Colleges (KENAPCO), Dr. Ekrah Ndung’u, has called for stronger collaboration between public and private technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions, saying partnerships are essential to improving skills development and empowering young people.

Dr Ekrah made the call while delivering a keynote address at Kiambu National Polytechnic, where she spoke on entrepreneurship, creativity and youth empowerment, highlighting the need to equip young people with practical skills, innovative thinking and the entrepreneurial mindset required to succeed in an increasingly competitive economy.

The engagement marked a significant milestone in her 12-year journey of service at KENAPCO, with the public institution hosting a leader representing private colleges in a move that underscored the potential for closer cooperation across the TVET sector.

Dr Ekrah welcomed the engagement, describing it as an opportunity to build bridges between public and private training institutions and create practical partnerships that benefit learners, trainers and the wider economy.

She identified equipment sharing, exchange of trainers, institutional benchmarking and collaboration on donor-funded projects as key areas where public and private institutions could work together to strengthen training capacity and maximise available resources.

Through such partnerships, institutions can share expertise, improve access to training facilities and expose learners to broader practical experiences. Collaboration can also help institutions identify best practices, strengthen their programmes and respond more effectively to changing industry demands.

Dr Ekrah emphasised that the ultimate objective of technical training should be to equip all learners with relevant skills and opportunities, regardless of whether they attend public or private institutions.

“We do not have a public student or a private student,” she said, stressing the need to put learners first and build a unified approach to technical and vocational education.

Her message highlighted the importance of harmonious coexistence between public and private TVET institutions, arguing that cooperation rather than competition should guide efforts to strengthen skills development in Kenya.

As the country continues to focus on youth employment, entrepreneurship and economic transformation, TVET institutions have an important role in preparing young people for the world of work while equipping them to establish and grow their own enterprises.

Dr Ekrah’s emphasis on entrepreneurship and creativity reflects the need for training institutions to go beyond classroom instruction and nurture innovation, problem-solving and practical competencies that respond to real economic needs.

Stronger institutional partnerships could also create opportunities for joint projects, resource mobilisation and engagement with development partners seeking to support technical education and youth empowerment.

Her 12 years of service at KENAPCO have placed her at the centre of efforts to advance the interests of private colleges and promote dialogue on the role of private institutions in Kenya’s education and skills-development landscape.

The engagement at Kiambu National Polytechnic therefore provided an important platform for strengthening relationships between the public and private sectors, with the shared goal of improving training outcomes and expanding opportunities for young people.