Does Youth Polytechnics (YPs) ring a bell?

The concept of Youth Polytechnics (YPs) was developed and popularized in the mid-1960s by the National Christian Council of Kenya (NCCK) as a solution to the problem of education and employment of primary school leavers. In a study titled "After school, what?", it was argued that the school-leavers were unable to become self-employed or get wage jobs because of inadequate education and training. YPs (originally called `Village Polytechnics') were to provide rural youth with skills that could be used in the local economy. They would provide practical training, linked with production, and so assist in the formation of a cadre of trained artisans and other self-employed workers.

While initially the NCCK was the main sponsor of the YP programme, the YPs were gradually (1970-71) taken over by the government, which paid mainly for the salaries for the teachers. They were expected to become self-sustaining over time, on the basis of the production of goods for the local market.

Reference: ILO Case Study on YP