The Marine School in Kisumu will open its doors to the public in May 2021, a major contribution to human resource capacity building in the Marine sector. It now has a capacity to train 1,000 students per semester.

The reopening and modernizing of facilities will serve as a contribution to the Kenya Government Policy statement on blue economy which envisions heightened integrative regional and international trade utilizing her water bodies. The school is therefore positioned to leverage on this to offer quality training. This was disclosed recently when the Railway Training Institute team hosted stakeholders to a site tour of the school.

The scope of works for the ongoing revamp includes facilities such as a training pool, a firefighting training facility, standard hostels for 160 students, 40 executive rooms and a conference room.

According to the RTI Director, Ms. Milly Kizili, development of human resource capacity in the marine industry will enhance water based economic activities by helping meet the needs of the blue economy prioritized recently as a key economic pillar in achieving Vision 2030.

“Marine training will foster regional integration, enhancing trade among the East Africa countries. The school has thus envisaged to host Kenyan trainees as well as the wider East African region in the facility including Maritime staff undergoing Continuing Professional Development training,” said the Director.

The school which is accredited by Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA) has adopted the KMA syllabus to offer marine courses which equip and certify Lake Victoria vessel operators with skills and competences in safety, protection and preservation of marine environment.

Further, the Director said the Marine School was not only targeting the Kenyan market but also the East African Region in an effort to enhance regional integration and trade.

So far, the Marine school has trained over 132 number of students with others currently working in the KR owned wagon ferry, MV Uhuru operating along Lake Victoria majorly transporting oil to Uganda. The School is currently taking applications for the March 2021 intake for Marine courses including Diploma in Internal Freight Management, Certificate in Maritime Transport and Logistics and Coxswain Level 3.