By Zakeyo Lusohoka
A team of Trainers from Kenya Coast National Polytechnic (KCNP) has completed industrial attachment at the National Institute of Transport (NIT) in Tanzania as part of the staff exchange programme under the East African Skills for Transformation and Regional Integration Project (EASTRIP) Project. NIT host the Regional Flagship TVET Institute in Aviation while KCNP hosts the Regional Flagship TVET Institute in Marine Transport supported by the EASTRIP Project.
The Team commended the efforts of National Institute of Transport toward implementation of the EASTRIP project. The team made the remarks during an interview held at NIT main campus, where they said that the exchange programme between NIT and their institution was very useful since it has provided an opportunity to learn and share experiences.
Expressing his opinion, Boniface Omariba who is a trainer in Automotive Engineering and also Deputy, Head of Department of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering at Kenya Coast National Polytechnic said that NIT for a great percentage has managed to implement the Competency Based Education and Training (CBET) programme as required by the EASTRIP project.
“You have many students with good infrastructural settings, we have learned on how to contain a big class, we are used to smaller ones. There’s also good cooperation between instructors and students,” he said.
Mr. Omariba was also impressed by NIT achievements in securing collaborations with local and international organizations. “You have many collaborations with industry. You are in touch with the industry”. He further said that NIT has a conducive learning environment: “You have bigger space for learning; the environment is specious”.
On his part, Nahashoni Gichina, a trainer in Mechanical Engineering Production, who is also a Head of Section, Mechanical Engineering in the Department of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering at Kenya Coast National Polytechnic, expressed similar opinion as he said that NIT has provided wider access to TVET programmes through different areas of specialization.
“NIT has programmes in Aviation, Transport in Marine and general infrastructure. There is also quality relevance, you are able to integrate the issue of quality and relevance. There is a good integration of ICT in teaching and learning, you are also able to handle larger number of students in time,” he said.
Gichina also commended NIT on CBET implementation where he said that the Institute is fully in CBET.
“You have managed to integrate the required area of practice such as transport, manufacturing and ICT. We also understand that some of the lectures at your Institute are attached to the industry to do research that can be implemented by the government,” said Gichina.
He also added: “We have also learnt about the soft skills, the relationships between the top management, lectures and subordinate staff and the security. That is why you can start class early in morning to late evening”.
Meanwhile, Mayende Fidelo who is a team leader and an expert in Supply Chain Management said that he had been impressed by the Institute’s development and growth. “The growth strategy is very promising, the Institution has good plans”, adding that NIT is well equipped. “You have resources to create harmonious teaching and learning environment, the Library is of higher standards”, He said.
Mayende also praised NIT on being able to create a team work among its employees and good way of handling students’ affairs.
“There’s good teamwork, it is on the higher notch. All the departments are very cooperative. Also, students welfare are accorded with some reasonable important”, Said Mayende.
On behalf of the team, Mayende thanked NIT: “NIT has been so good to us, you accorded us a very warm reception”.
Kenya Coast National Polytechnic is under State Department of Vocational and Technical training, located in Mombasa County, Kisauni Road. The trainers from the Institute came at NIT under the EASTRIP exchange programme.
The Writer works with Communications Department at NIT
