David Nalo, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of East African Community

Kenya has identified five institutions to serve as East African Community (EAC) centres of excellence, the country’s Ministry of EAC Affairs has announced.

The ministry’s permanent secretary, David Nalo, said the five institutions were identified in collaboration with several line ministries.

The institutions are the University of Nairobi’s College of Health Sciences; Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute; Kenya Institute of Education, the Bomas of Kenya and Rift Valley Technical Training Institute.

Nalo said the centres of excellence would add value to the EAC’s integration process, enhance interactions among the region’s citizens and facilitate the achievement of a political federation.

The centres, Nalo explained, would also spearhead quality skills development and innovation among the youth.

“Once approved by the EAC secretariat, a regional technical team will carry out a verification exercise to determine the level of development and the extent at which the selected institutions can benefit all EAC partner states,” he said.

Moreover, the centres will help equip the youth with appropriate skills, knowledge and attitudes for sustainable development in the region through training that focuses on science, technology and innovation as well as conducting quality research to create a human capital that is globally competitive.

Nalo told the Independent East African News Agency (Eana) that the centres would create a foundation upon which the EAC partner states would jointly share resources and best practices in the region.

Kenya’s move is a response to a directive made to EAC member states during the 8th meeting of the EAC Sectoral Council on Education, Science and Technology, Culture and Sports held in January this year. The five EAC states of Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda were directed to submit the names of five institutions per country that would serve as EAC centres of excellence

Kenya is the first EAC country to identify the centres. The council further recommended that the categories of centres to be established should include tertiary institutions and universities; research and ICT institutions; curriculum development and assessment; cultural institutes for language, tourism, sports and technical, industrial, vocational and entrepreneurship training.

The council also directed that the selection should be based on a set of criteria, including vision statements and missions committed to high quality training, research and innovation and governance based on structures that are anchored on existing legal frameworks.

The selected institutions were also expected to have managements committed to equality of opportunity for all applicants from partner states and a performance culture aimed at meeting skills needs, high quality learning, resources and networks that are collaborative and focused on engagement at national, regional and international levels.

Source The Guardian

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