The National Government has commissioned Sh47 million state-of-the-art gemology equipment at the Taita Taveta National Polytechnic (TTNP), the first of its kind in Kenya.

The facility aims to bridge the skills gap in gemstone identification, grading, and value addition.
Speaking during the commissioning, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Principal Secretary (PS), Dr. Esther Muoria, hailed the initiative as a testament to the government’s unwavering commitment to empowering the youth and artisanal miners.

The equipment supported by Young Africa Works and funding from MasterCard Foundation through Colleges and Institute in Canada (CICAN) positions Taita Taveta National Polytechnic as a centre of excellence in gemology.

“With this new equipment, the Taita Taveta National Polytechnic is now equipped to produce graduates who can meet the global standards in the gemology industry. This is an exciting step forward for the TVET sector in Kenya, an inspiring act. Remember, even if we have a university involved in this or any other, the actual skills, the actual must-do people, will come from this institution, and therefore, it is very important that we take this with the seriousness that it deserves,” Dr. Muoria stated.

She disclosed that the polytechnic now offers gemology training at Levels 4, 5, and 6, with 34 students currently enrolled. However, she challenged the institution to increase this number significantly, emphasising that the facility should be utilised to its full capacity.

“With only 34 students, we should be talking about 200 students using this lab, and that is how we will develop our community here and the country at large. Numbers matter,” she said.

The PS stated that the government has a target of enrolling two million students into TVET institutions nationwide by June next year, urging TTNP to ensure it plays its role in enrolling as many students as possible to achieve this target.

She emphasised the importance of increasing enrolment at the polytechnic, which currently has 3,400 students, and questioned why such a premier institution was falling short of its potential.

The PS issued a directive to the institution and local leaders to ensure more students, particularly from Taita Taveta County, are taking advantage of the training opportunities.

“I want you to realise that becoming a national polytechnic is a big challenge in itself. It is not just about getting the name; it is about doing what a National Polytechnic is supposed to do,” she emphasised.

Dr. Muoria highlighted the new equipment’s broader benefits, particularly for the region’s artisanal miners, who form the backbone of the county’s mining sector. Taita Taveta County is home to over 40 types of high-value gemstones, including sapphire, garnets, and tourmaline. However, artisanal and small-scale miners face significant challenges, such as using traditional tools, lack of training, and limited market access.

“Through this center of excellence in gemology, the local community, young men and women, and indeed all trainers will now be able to acquire the requisite technical training on suitable mining practices, acquire training in health and safety standards in mining, and acquire skills and knowledge on how to access competitive markets,” explained the PS, adding, I’ve just been told that we are already acquiring a requisite market in Canada, and there is nothing as good as training and doing industry with an end in mind. This is a step toward ensuring that our miners earn what they truly deserve,” she added.

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