Abstract:
The purpose of the study was to establish challenges facing the development of youth polytechnics in Kenya. The study covered selected polytechnics in Nyamira County, Kenya. Concerns had been raised over the development of the youth polytechnics and whether they could realize the stipulated goals in the sub-county. Therefore, the study focused on the following objectives: to establish the state of existing physical infrastructure in the youth polytechnics in Nyamira Sub-County, to assess the capacity challenges of the instructors in the development of youth polytechnics in Nyamira Sub-County, to examine the suitability of the equipment used in the development of youth polytechnics in Nyamira Sub-County and to determine the relationship between the challenges and the development of youth polytechnics in Nyamira Sub-County. Descriptive survey research design was adopted in the study. The study targeted managers, instructors, students and District coordinator of youth polytechnics in Nyamira County. The target population was 547 respondents. To select an appropriate sample for the study, purposive and simple random sampling was adopted.Youth polytechnic Managers and coordinators in Nyamira County were sampled through purposive sampling. Simple random sampling was used to select the instructors and students of the youth polytechnics. Data was collected through the use of questionnaires and interview schedules. Quantitative data were analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics and findings presented using frequency tables. Qualitative data were analysed thematically as revealed from the research data. It was established that most of the youth polytechnics do not have the latest software/ technology appliances and the facilities were not adequate for learning and even for practical work which posed a challenge.It was also revealed that most of the instructors in the youth polytechnics in Nyamira sub-county rarely opt for industrial attachment and therefore do not possess ability to deliver quality training to students since they lack new skills to deliver quality training to students. It was further found out that the instructors in the youth polytechnics in the Nyamira sub-county do not acquire new technological skills to impart to the students. This posed a challenge as the instructors have inadequate capacity to deliver quality to the students. Based on the findings of this study, it was recommended that the Nyamira County Government should make provisions for adequate physical infrastructure for training and also upgrade the obsolete ones. The Nyamira County Government should ensure that the instructors in the youth polytechnics opt for industrial attachment to acquire extra skills.The instructors in the youth polytechnics should be assisted by the county government to acquire new technological skills to impart to the students. The National and County governments in collaboration with parents should set aside funds for installing the latest software in computers and furnish the classrooms for training students in technical based courses.
