OUR HISTORY
The college has a long and proud history which is part of our platform for future success and linked to our present activities. We derive our mandate under TVET ACT, 2013 Section 20(1) as Technical and vocational college to train Persons living with disabilities and 30% reverse integration for inclusivity. The institution provides training to students across the East and central Africa region and has been the only training College with the visually impaired, hearing impaired and deaf/blind students all in one Institution undertaking relevant livelihood skills training to enable them compete favorably in the job market or establish their own livelihood activities.
The Institute was started in 1970 by the CMM brother of Tilburg under the Kisii catholic Diocese as Vocational training Centre for the Blind and Deaf- Sikri, to offer practical agricultural skills training for trainees from humble background who were visually impaired.
In 1975, the school population dropped drastically despite numerous awareness campaign of the Centre being conducted by the school administration .This prompted the administration in consultation with the ministry of Education to admit hearing impaired students. A total of 15 Hearing-impaired Students were admitted to undertake a four year agricultural course at the Centre.
In 1980, a sign language specialist was invited from Holland to train basic sign language. This led to the development of sign language dictionary to be used in the school. It is important to note that at this time the government emphasized on oralism as opposed to use of sign language as a medium of instruction in public special schools and no dictionary existed on Kenya sign language.
In 1987 a wood and weaving workshop was constructed and in 1988 the two workshops were equipped with teaching/learning resources. Consequently Carpentry/joinery and weaving /textile/clothing and textile was introduced. These courses were to strengthen the general agriculture which was the main course as it requires maintenance of farm structures, buildings and clothing.
Right at inception, the institute has provided rehabilitation to visually impaired students in, Braille literacy, Orientation and Mobility, activities of daily living and communication skills. In view of this the institute had an established Braille press for production of Braille materials. In 1999 the rehabilitation department was instrumental for the rehabilitation of 1998 bomb blast survivors.
In 2016, the college admitted the first group of female trainees. In April 2018, the college was upgraded from Vocational Centre to a Technical and Vocational College offering technical, engineering and business courses from Artisan, Certificate Diploma levels in NITA, KNEC and CDACC. The College currently has Eight Academic and Eight non Academic departments with a qualified and competent teaching workforce of 65 and 33 non-teaching staff.
The colleges’ long term direction is presented in the strategic plan for the period 2020/21-2024/25 with the key result areas being the main focus e.g. To enhance access and equity, infrastructure will be improved, promotion of research and development by establishing a research fund and showcasing innovations and capacity building of trainers. The plan articulates the means by which Sikri Technical and Vocational College for the Blind and Deaf is to achieve its vision and mission. The College will be able to achieve vision 2030, medium term plan 2008-2012, government strategy on industrialization, ministry of education strategic goals, and millennium development goals.