Some of the beneficiaries of the National Council of Science and Technology (NCST) research grant have been diverting 60 percent of the allocation to their personal interests, Prof. Shaukat Abdulrazak, the secretary, NCST, said during the African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS), Kenyan Chapter annual general meeting.
“Some researchers divert from their initial objective along the way thus misusing taxpayers money without touchable impact,” Prof Abdulrazak said, warning that such an act is academic suicide and illegal; adding that Vision 2030 will be a mirage if Kenyans will not embrace a new mindset in whichever sector they are.
The secretary said tribalism is vibrant even in science and technology when it comes to evaluating proposals and appointments which defeats the potential of science to solve problems, technology to transform and innovation to impact.
Science and technology is a transforming agent of resources for economic growth thus an urgent need to develop skilled human resource in areas of comparative advantage, such as agriculture which is the backbone of the country. Regrettably, Abdulrazak said, students are no longer interested in agriculture.
Dr. Kevin Uruma, executive director, ATPS, said, our science and technology needs anew touch to be an answer to common but persistence problems facing Kenya such as food insecurity. Science finds its place in every key sector in every country in Africa. “We need to look into the knowledge basis for Africa.”
Urama said that our science and technology has been modeled by that of the West hence creating a missing link for science and technology to add value to local raw materials before they are exported.
He said that knowledge acquired in our schools is useless if it cannot solve daily problems facing our people. Urama added we need to produce scientist and technologist who can turn knowledge into innovations; celebrate it by sharing it to the world; and research to generate new knowledge.
The NCST CEO, Prof Abdulrazak said it is evident that quality of higher education in Kenya is challenged from the proposals they have been receiving from students whose content is wanting coupled with poor proposal writing masterly. He attributed this to Kenyan professors who are not taking time to mentor students.
The CEO encouraged researchers and institutions to embrace information communication technology as a tool to link various areas of competitive advantage - to commercialize research and integrate various departments, schools and institution to work together towards the realization of cutting edge research findings and products.
He said student should be encouraged to form companies while at the institution of higher learning to exploit their technological and innovation potential. Both ATPS and NCST are offering research funds to students in our local universities, institutions and organization as well as incubating upcoming innovators and entrepreneurs.
For new devolved counties to be wheels of progress and development, the CEO counseled, every governor should have a reputable science and technology adviser.
Prof. Abdulrazak made a passionate call for the government to increase budgetary allocation for research from its current 0.3 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) to the expected 1 percent as studies from across the world have indicated a direct relationship between research and development.
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