President Kenyatta calls for Strong Regional Academia-Private Sector partnership

His Excellency President Uhuru Kenyatta of the Republic of Kenya has called for development of a strong academia-private sector partnerhsip with the support of the East African Community (EAC) governments for the realization of the regional aspirations.

 

“Such a partnership is critical for ensuring that the private sector, as a major employer of human resources from higher education institututions,contributes to curriculum development and delivery processes, as well as research and innovation programmes in our academic institutions,” he said when opening the two-day second Academia-Private Forum and Exhibitions in Nairobi at the Kenyata International Conference Centre, 24 October, 2013.

 

President Kenyatta, whose speech was read by Hon. Phyllis Kandie, Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of EAC Affairs,Commerce and Tourism, pointed out that by doing so, the private would ensure the development of skilful,adaptive,competent and enterprising human and capital capable of meeting its needs.

 

“This has the potential to stimulate socio-economic development of the region,” he underscored, adding that the acdemia-private sector partnership would inspire creativity and boost entrepreneurship among young people across the region as they pursue their studies.

 

H.E President Kenyatta said: “This means our graduates will leave university well equipped to spearhead our industrialization; they will come out job creators and not job seekers.”

 

He also urged harmonisation of higher education and training systems in the region that would allow young East Africans to study in a university of their choice and allow for cross border movement of graduates.

 

The acting Chairman of the EAC Council of Ministers Hon. Prof. Tarsis Bazana Kabwegyere from Uganda  commended efforts made by the East Africa’s Academia and Private sector to give a spin to the education sytem and make it contemporary.

 

“This is among efforts by East Africans to turn our economies and education to much higher levels and turn the region productive and prosperous,” he said.

 

The EAC Secretary General Amb.Dr Richard Sezibera  said that the dialogue between academia and private sector was critical for transforming the region into sustainable knowledge-based economy.

 

“There is a sense of urgency for this agenda.We are at historic junction in Africa’s march to socio-economic development,” he said, adding that East Africa must seize the moment to lift millions of its citizens out of abject poverty.

 

“We cannot afford to remain in the deceptive cacoons of low expectations,dreamt markets and parochial national concerns,” he cautioned.

 

He also said that EAC should value its scientists and their important role in transforming our latent potential into tangible common benefits.

 

The Chairman of the East African Business Council (EABC) Mr Vimal Shah assured the meeting that the private sector was committed to getting involved in the development of curricula, supporting research and also commercialising the research output and innovations.

 

“The private sector has for a long time lamented the paucity of right skills among workers, especially the graduates being churned by the local universities. This will now come to an end,” he said in his speech read on his behalf by EABC Director Jim Kabeho.

 

The Execuitve Secretary of the Inter-University Council for East Africa, Prof Mayunga Nkunya, informed that the idea of Academia-Private Sector was mooted in 2011 after realizing the need to provide the point of connection between knowledge/human resources and the private sector.

The First edition of the East African Higher Education Forum was held 24th – 26th October 2012 in Arusha, Tanzania. At the end of this Forum, resolutions focused on consolidating the IUCEA and EABC partnership by providing sustainability mechanisms. 

In this regard, EABC and IUCEA developed a medium term plan of action to guide implementation of the resolutions and recommendations, to be undertaken under the auspices of EAC. Among the items in the plan of action agreed upon was to organize a regional academia and private sector partnership forum and exhibitions on an annual basis, on rotation among the EAC Partner States.