Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has inspected the ongoing construction of a 580-bed student hostel at Muraga Technical Training College in Maara Constituency, Tharaka Nithi County, as the government steps up efforts to expand accommodation for learners in tertiary institutions.
The project, which is currently 25 per cent complete, is expected to cost Sh260 million and provide accommodation for students studying at the institution.
Kindiki said adequate and accessible accommodation was an important factor in improving learning outcomes, noting that students in technical training colleges and universities require decent housing close to their institutions.
The Deputy President said the government was using the Housing Fund to support the development of student hostels across the country, targeting accommodation for approximately 180,000 students.
“Tertiary and University students require good accommodation as close to the institution as possible as one of the drivers of good learning outcomes,”he said in a statement.
The initiative is aimed at addressing accommodation challenges facing learners in higher education institutions, where demand for affordable housing has continued to place pressure on available facilities.
The Muraga Technical Training College project forms part of the government’s wider efforts to expand student accommodation infrastructure and improve the learning environment in tertiary institutions.
Once completed, the 580-bed facility is expected to increase the college’s capacity to accommodate students and provide housing closer to their place of study.
The inspection comes as the government continues to implement projects intended to support technical and vocational education through improved infrastructure and facilities for learners.