By Professor Francis J. Gichaga
THIS WAS A PRESENTATION DURING THE TRANSFORMATIVE AND EFFECTIVE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS CONFERENCE, KICC NAIROBI. 2ND TO 3RD NOVEMBER 2010
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.Introduction
2.Historical perspective
3.Training of Professionals for Vision 2030
4.The way forward
5.References
1. INTRODUCTION
The Kenya Vision 2030 is the country’s development blue print covering the period 2008 to 2030 which aims at making Kenya a newly industrializing middle income country, providing high quality life for all its citizens by the year 2030.
When considering how to attain Kenya Vision 2030, we are concerned that all our children should have access to primary and secondary education, healthy food, potable water, healthcare and housing. We are concerned about a healthy nation where all Kenyans can have access to health services at affordable costs and we aim at reducing extreme poverty levels by more than half by the year 2030.
Kenya is characterized by sometimes alarming socio-economic indicators such as:
About half of the population live below the poverty line of one US$ per day
Access to potable water is about 49% for rural areas and about 68% for urban population.
Less than 10% of the candidates who sit for secondary examination gain admission to universities.
Only about 10% of the population have access to electricity
A large proportion of population especially in urban areas, live in slums without safe housing.
The poor-rich gap is widening
Environmental degradation continues to be a problem due to rapid population growth rate
Poor infrastructure has made Kenyan goods expensive in the international market.
When talking about socio-economic growth in Kenya one notes that the agriculture sector has been the largest contributor to GDP accounting for just under 25% while the manufacturing sector accounts for slightly over 13% of GDP. In the agriculture sector we are interested in the application of appropriate technologies to enhance production and we are further concerned about post harvest technologies and marketing of the produce. In the manufacturing sector we need to develop and re-engineer our industries by introducing modern and efficient technologies. The manufacturing sector’s performance has been adversely affected by the inefficient infrastructure in the form of poor roads, inefficient railway, inadequate and expensive power/energy, and inefficient communication systems.
This means that if we are able to make our infrastructure reasonably efficient, our manufactured goods would be competitive in the international market and thereby attract more local and foreign investors leading to creation of employment opportunities for many more Kenyans with accompanying enhancement of the standard of living of Kenyans.
We indeed witnessed, a decade ago many industries that closed and others which relocated to other countries when we faced severe drought which led to power rationing.
It is evident that education and training of professionals for infrastructure development would play a major role in the process of transforming the Kenyan economy. The major actors in delivering education and training for infrastructure include the government, the universities (and polytechnics) and the industry generally and hence the troika.
When addressing the challenges of raising the standard of living of the Kenyan society we must recognize the need to consider the indicators which reflect the basic necessities of life namely food, shelter, clothing in addition to society’s access to such services like education, health, security and general welfare. It is additionally important to consider the availability of infrastructure including water supply, sewer and environmental sanitation systems, transport systems, communication systems, energy and power systems. We must also recognize the need to empower Kenyans so that they can compete in the knowledge economy of the future by equipping them with capacity to manage the latest technology including ICT.
2. HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
In the 1960’s engineering education for the three East African countries, namely Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania was only available at Nairobi, at the University College Nairobi. The 1970’s saw introduction of engineering faculties at the universities of Dar-es-salaam in Tanzania and Makerere in Uganda. The 1980’s and 1990’s witnessed dramatic expansion in engineering degree programmes at Moi University, Egerton University and Jomo Kenyatta university of Agriculture and Technology. In the 21st century we have many universities which are offering engineering degree programmes including Kenyatta University, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology in addition to constituent university colleges including Kenya Polytechnic University College, Mombasa Polytechnic University College, Meru University College of Science and Technology, Kimathi University College of Technology and Multimedia University College of Kenya. There are still a few more constituent colleges in the pipeline awaiting legislation.
It is to be noted that the engineering programmes of the 1960’s have undergone considerable metamorphosis in order to respond to the market demand of the engineering industry. We have witnessed developments and innovations leading to new disciplines in engineering with establishment of new departments and others adopting new titles.
We also need to acknowledge that private universities have also mounted degree programmes in the area of technology, but given the heavy financial investment required in mounting those programmes their graduate output remains insignificant.
In addition to degree graduates in engineering it is important to recognize the significant contribution by technologists and technicians who have graduated over the years from the national polytechnics in this broad area of education and training of professionals for infrastructure development.
In the process of educating and training professionals for infrastructure development we have faced many challenges including:
Limited opportunities for training in universities and polytechnics
Limited or lack of properly structured industrial/practical attachment for trainees during training in universities and polytechnics
Lack of formally institutionalized training programmes for graduates. This has led to gaps in practical training; as a result there have been those graduates who have taken inordinately long time before they can acquire registration status. Consequently we have demotivated graduates due to the unstructured training system.
There are those who may have matured without going through comprehensive and structured training programmes and they remain a burden to the employer.
The government is at times forced to outsource professional services from outside the country at exorbitant costs to the taxpayer while at the same time well trained Kenyan professionals seek employment in other countries due to lack of incentive to retain them here.
3. TRAINING OF PROFESSIONALS FOR VISION 2030
For us to achieve the desired economic status as a country by the year 2030, we shall need to invest both in the development of strategic industries and in human resources. That is to say that we need to get Kenyans trained to be able to manage the type of technology that is relevant to the knowledge economy. For those who will man the development of infrastructure in Kenya, who generally constitute engineers and technologists, it will be necessary to take them through the many dimensions of training including:
University and /or Polytechnic training:
Under this training component the trainees will have to undergo theory courses which equip the student with basic theoretical knowledge. The training must also incorporate laboratory and workshop training to complement the theory courses. It will also be important to incorporate industrial attachment for trainees to acquire practical skills relevant to the industry.
Practical training in industry:
After graduating from the University or Polytechnic the trainee must be taken through a formally structured training programme with clearly defined deliverables by the trainee during the training period. The industry should be required to provide a conducive training environment with proper supervision. The trainee, after going through the training programme, should have acquired sufficient training to enable him acquire registration status.
Continuing professional development education:
The need for continuing education is acknowledged in all professions. Continuing education provides an opportunity for a worker to enhance his capacity to deliver through attending seminars, short courses, holiday courses, evening classes etc, during which time the participants are taught and exposed to modern techniques of carrying out their tasks more efficiently. Continuing education additionally provides opportunities for workers, including professionals, to improve their academic and professional qualifications. Continuing education can also be structured to provide industry-specific programmes which could be mounted by universities/polytechnics jointly with the relevant industries.
Research, Development and Innovation:
Research and development activities are generally associated with universities whose lecturers should involve trainees and research assistants under their care. Again lecturers will need to expose their trainees and research assistants in innovations which are relevant to the industry.
4. THE WAY FORWARD
If Kenya is to rise to the next orbit of development level, comparable to the middle income countries in the world, it is imperative that we give research and development special attention through adequate funding. We must additionally develop and maintain efficient industries and infrastructure with accompanying properly trained professionals to develop and manage the industries and associated infrastructure.
It is important for us to establish mechanisms to assist in identifying talents and experts from among the Kenyans and deploy them appropriately especially in respect of infrastructure development and management of unexploited natural resources including minerals and the atmosphere/air.
It is imperative that we educate the young in order to prepare them for their leadership roles when addressing the challenges of the knowledge economy of the future. We need to be futuristic by adopting sophisticated and advanced technology requiring the use of facilities like computer numerically controlled (CNC) and Computer Aided Design (CAD) and computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) Equipment.
In the endeavor to enable Kenya achieve the middle economy status in line with the vision 2030, the following three key stakeholders (the troika) in the area of infrastructural development must undertake their roles as outlined below:
Universities, Research Institutes and Polytechnics:
Universities and research institutes are mandated to carry out research whose findings are eventually adopted by industries and entrepreneurs. It is also common knowledge that those countries that have invested heavily in research have reaped the benefits in terms of industrialization and accompanying socio-economic growth. It is also important to note that when research and development move in tandem, the society as a whole stands to gain and the converse also holds true.
In the area of university education there is need to orient the curricula towards science, technology and innovation. Additionally we should invest in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) education and training so that Kenyans are equipped to address the challenges of the knowledge economy. The universities on their part must lobby the government and the industry generally in order to influence policy formulation to ensure that policies by government and the industry become university-friendly with the aim of achieving more effective collaboration between universities and industries in Kenya in order to ensure that university education responds to the requirements of the industries.
Industries and entrepreneurs:
It is desirable to persuade the industry to have significant input in the development of curricula in university and polytechnic education in addition to offering opportunities to university staff and students to familiarize themselves with the world of work in industries. This is expected to enrich and lead to industry-friendly graduates from those universities and polytechnics. The universities on their part must additionally participate in offering extension services to the community with the aim of enhancing development of the necessary industrial base. Universities should be able to incubate projects that would eventually be taken over by entrepreneurs in those industries.
When one looks at the industries in Kenya it becomes clear that little collaboration takes place between industries on the one hand and universities and research institutes on the other in the area of development of industries. Until the linkage between universities and industries is strengthened and structured, the rate of growth in the manufacturing sector will remain elusive. It is therefore important that collaboration between universities and industries be addressed with a view to introducing structural systems that protect the interests of both parties, but with the over-arching goal of harnessing the technological knowledge generated in universities (and research institutes ) for the purpose of enhancing efficiency in production processes in industry. Efficiency in production processes leads to higher output and profits with accompanying socio-economic growth through job creation for Kenyans. The industries and entrepreneurs in our country should be encouraged, through incentives by government to collaborate with universities and research institutes so that the knowledge developed and available in such institutions can be transferred to industries.
As universities develop science and technological parks, industries should be encouraged to collaborate with universities. It is imperative that the universities on their part embrace policies that inspire staff to seek and participate in university industry linkages. In this spirit universities should be encouraged to introduce sandwich programmes and design courses tailor-made for specific industries.
In the area of infrastructure, we have glaring examples of failed infrastructural systems in the country. The engineer whose responsibility it is to plan, design, construct and maintain infrastructure, cannot escape the blame when cities like Nairobi and Mombasa are clogged with traffic jams or when many roads have dangerous potholes and other forms of pavement distress. The same argument applies to many of our infrastructure such as electricity, water and sanitation as well as railways. The road transport system in Nairobi can form an interesting case study of a failed infrastructural system. However, one notes that the problem is currently being addressed and hopefully in the near future we shall be saved from the irritating traffic clogging, congestion and jams. Many may not know that we are paying the price of ignoring research findings and resultant recommendations on how to plan the city’s transport system which were made about four decades ago.
The Government:
The government needs to take an active role in facilitating the collaboration between universities and industries including formulating such policies and legislation as would enhance the collaboration. The government would be of great service to the industry if it catalyzes university-industry linkages given that industry is a major player in the private sector which constitutes the engine for economic growth.
In the area of entrepreneurship the government must address the development of local contractors in the building industry. It is unfortunate that the strategy adopted decades ago to establish local contractors failed to achieve the desired goals and yet the required skills can be acquired locally through education and training.
The government must also be prepared to invest heavily in research and development especially in areas of science, technology and innovation given that we are entering the competitive era of knowledge based economy.
In the area of industrial attachment for university and polytechnic based trainees, the government must be prepared to provide funding, if necessary through levies. Additionally the practical training for graduates to enable them acquire registration status should receive government support and commitment to reduce the wastage we are currently witnessing where a graduate can take up to three times as much time as stipulated in relevant statutes. For example, the Engineers Registration Act stipulates that an applicant can apply for registration as a professional after three years of practical training as a graduate engineer; yet some have taken up to ten years to acquire registration as professional engineers.
The government needs to require the stakeholders, in this area of industrial attachment and practical training, to contribute towards this important element of training and additionally demand accountability on the basis of specified benchmarks e.g. contractors could be required to account in terms of the number of trainees for a given project value, size, type and location; again consultants could be required to account in terms of the number of trainees per project. The trainees on their part should be required to submit progress reports certified by supervisors in the industries at prescribed intervals.
5.REFERENCES
i)Kenya Vision 2030. The Government Printer. July 2007.
ii)University – Industry Linkage in Kenya by F. J. Gichaga, H. Kaane and G. Wainaina. Commission for Higher Education. Nairobi: 2005.
iii)Industrialization and Development in the 21st Century by F. J. Gichaga. The Institution of Engineers of Kenya Conference. Nairobi: April 2003.
iv)Sessional Paper No. 2 on Industrial Transformation by Year 2020. The Government Printer. 1997.
v)Educating a National Labour Force for Economic Recovery through Industrial Transformation by F. J. Gichaga. 35th Annual Tom Mboya Lecture. Nairobi: November 2005.
Former University of Nairobi Vice Chancellor and registered civil engineer who has nurtured most of the engineering serving the nation in various capacity.
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