Teso north: Public Service and Human Capital Development Principal Secretary (PS), Dr. Jane Imbunya has commissioned the newly constructed Achiya Echakara National Youth Service (NYS) Training Institute in Teso North, constructed at a cost of Sh62 million through the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF). The modern facility includes hostels for 100 male and 100 female trainees, spacious classrooms, tuition blocks, a mess hall, and ablution facilities. It is designed to support vocational and institutional training for NYS graduates, while also benefiting the wider community.
According to Kenya News Agency, speaking during the launch, Dr. Imbunya described the project as a milestone in advancing the government’s youth transformation agenda. She highlighted the government’s commitment to equipping young people with discipline, patriotism, technical skills, and globally competitive values. The PS stressed that the government is committed to upskilling the youth through NYS and other Technical and Vocational training programmes across the country. The goal is to empower young people to secure employment, embrace self-employment opportunities, and instill a spirit of patriotism.
She further highlighted that the government is refining and upgrading technical institutions and infrastructure to achieve this vision, with a strong emphasis on agriculture and technical skills, which are key pillars of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA). As part of the commissioning, Dr. Imbunya distributed avocado seedlings to local youth under employment projects. She also announced plans to acquire 50 additional acres of land for NYS training, supplementing the eight acres already in use, to expand agricultural opportunities for servicemen and women.
Since its inception, the NYS institute has steadily grown, offering specialized training in dairy farming, sustainable agriculture, and other technical areas. Several cohorts of trainees have already completed their programs, sat for national examinations, and had been deployed for attachment and national service. Dr. Imbunya emphasized that the infrastructure and agricultural projects within the institute, including classrooms, modern barracks, and farming initiatives, will not only enhance training but also uplift the surrounding community. The institute will additionally provide local farmers with access to modern sheep rearing techniques and best practices in crop production.
Teso North MP, Edward Kaunya, lauded the project, noting that the region’s fertile black cotton soil makes it ideal for agriculture, sheep breeding, and avocado farming. He emphasized that the initiative will enrich both the institution and the wider community through increased food production and agribusiness opportunities.