Education Minister Mutula Kilonzo has called for more partnerships in the education sector to help develop the education system in the country.
Speaking during the 3rd Annual Education and Leadership Congress, Mutula lauded the congress partners for putting together such an important forum for scholars especially the youth to learn leadership and mentorship from global leaders, scholars, opinion leaders and captains of industry.
“The programme is unique in that it provides opportunity for leadership development and mentorship to beneficiaries. The youth are crucial in closing gaps in economic growth through active engagements in matters that touch on them. Challenges facing the youth include lack of a conducive environment for investment and enterprise and a mismatch between education/training and labour market demands,” said the Mbooni lawmaker.
Mutula said that the government was working closely with various stakeholders in the education sector to put in place measures that re-orient the education/training curricula to focus on opportunities for employment and enterprise creation. He said serious campaigns such as enhancing leadership qualities must be developed among the youth to fuel innovative solutions.
“Young people should venture into new types of jobs in the fields of information and communication technology,” he said.
The minister confirmed that draft Policies and Bills to address concerns in the education sector have been approved by cabinet for debate by Parliament.
They include The Basic Education Bill 2012; Science, Technology and Innovation Policy 2012 and The Kenyan National Examination Council Bill 2012 among others. The minister urged all stakeholders to read the proposed Bills that are accessible on the ministry’s website.
“Please read the documents and make them the subject of debate and enhance them with new ideas. The young people gathered here are today the champions of reform who will carry on the burning torch for this nation. I encourage you to reach for the sky, reach for the stars to be among the world’s top scholars now that your financial constraints have been alleviated by your sponsors,” he told the nearly 5,000 scholars attending the congress.
Speaking at the congress the Head of UKAid (Kenya & Somalia) Alistair Fernie, urged the movers of the education sector to focus on the quality of education saying that Kenya’s 93% primary school enrollment is impressive by any standards.
However he urged the government to invest more in reducing class sizes, in making sure teachers have the right qualifications and that students have access to textbooks and other equipment. Fernie paid tribute to Equity Bank Group and partners for the initiative to support needy students.
“We need new partnerships to deliver. That includes the private sector like Equity Bank and international donors,” he said.
Equity Bank Chairman Peter Munga urged the scholars to discover their purpose and remain focused saying the world is full of opportunities. He told the Wings To Fly scholars, all of whom are from needy backgrounds, not to be intimidated even though they come from such backgrounds.
“Poverty is not a disease and if it were, it is curable,” he said. The 3rd Annual Educational and Leadership Congress is currently taking place at Kenyatta University and brings together Wings to Fly scholars, Scholars from the Equity Bank University Sponsorship and Leadership Program and alumni.
The scholars are exposed to mentorship and motivational sessions by local and international speakers comprising of professionals, scholars, opinion leaders, captains of industry and leaders from different spheres of society.
The congress brings together scholars drawn from both the Wings to Fly and the Equity University Sponsorship programs, and seeks to nurture leadership skills and create a global mindset in the scholars, by exposing them to mentoring opportunities from outstanding role models from the academia, the public service, entrepreneurship, non-profits, and influential captains of industry amongst others.
The 3rd Annual Education and Leadership Congress focusing on globalization is taking place from August 13th – 23rd August 2012 at the Kenyatta University. This year’s theme is ‘Developing a Global Edge’.
Through plenary sessions, panel discussions, workshops and focus group discussions, the congress is exploring the implications of an increasingly globalized world, highlighting solutions to global challenges and ways through which emerging leaders can enhance their competitiveness within the global context.
Approximately 5,000 scholars who include Wings to Fly scholars and Equity Bank university sponsorship beneficiaries and alumni are attending the congress.
The writer is a Communication and Journalism student at Moi University
