Chuka Technical and Vocational College has hailed the ongoing Affordable Housing project at the institution as a major milestone that will ease accommodation challenges for students while enhancing technical training opportunities.
Engineer Enock Yegon, a representative of the Chuka TVC administration, said the institution appreciates the government’s commitment to improving infrastructure through the Ministry of Housing.
“Chuka TVC is so grateful to the Ministry of Housing and the government for bringing this project to our institution. It will greatly help us address the accommodation challenges we have been facing for years,” said Yegon.
Chuka TVC, a government institution located in Tharaka Nithi County, was constructed between 2015 and 2017 before officially beginning operations in 2018. The college has since grown into a centre of excellence in mechanical and engineering studies, while also offering courses in building and civil engineering, plumbing, ICT, and business studies.
According to the schools administration, the institution currently has more than 4,700 trainees, creating significant pressure on available accommodation facilities. The new housing project is expected to provide a lasting solution.
The project comprises two hostel blocks, each with a capacity of 910 students, bringing the total accommodation capacity to 1,820 trainees.
“The hostels will open up Chuka TVC to another level because accommodation has been a major challenge. Security and welfare of trainees are also important aspects that the institution has been working to improve,” he added.
The administration noted that the institution has already embraced the modular curriculum introduced by the Ministry of Education, which emphasizes practical technical skills alongside classroom learning.
Yegon explained that the Affordable Housing project will complement the modular training system by giving students an opportunity to interact with real-life construction and engineering processes.
“We are moving towards a modularised curriculum where trainees gain practical skills through actual work. Having this project within the institution gives students exposure to real construction work and enriches their training experience,” he said.
Construction works officially began in December last year, with contractors already on site undertaking land clearing and preliminary works. Beyond benefiting students, the project is also expected to spur economic growth in the surrounding community. Residents are anticipated to benefit from increased business opportunities and improved infrastructure.
The institution also welcomed the ongoing road improvement project by the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA), which includes the tarmacking of the Kaanwa-Chuka TVC access road.
Yegon said the combination of improved road connectivity and the Affordable Housing project would accelerate development in the area and align with the government’s broader development agenda.
“The community is embracing these projects because they are opening up this area in terms of development and economic opportunities,” he said.
