Kenya is set to host a two-day Conference on Partnerships for Skills in Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology (PASET) in April, 2024.
The Conference draws Ministers of Education from 12 African Countries, to discuss strategies to strengthen Africa’s capabilities in preparing manpower needed, for modern industrial economies in Africa.
The theme of the Conference is: ‘leveraging Technical, Vocational and Technical Training (TVET) in the knowledge and skills ecosystem for Africa’s industrialization.’
The Ministry of Education, led by the Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu, held a breakfast meeting with its development partners, regarding the event at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD).
Present were the Principal Secretary for Basic Education, Dr. Belio Kipsang, his counterparts in University Education and Research, Dr. Beatrice Inyangala, and Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET), Dr. Esther Muoria.
Machogu said Africa faces an acute shortage of manpower in critical areas which require Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) PASET has the potential to help the continent address the skills and knowledge gaps in the areas.
The UNICEF Representative to Kenya Shaheen Nilofer, said it was important that skills be nurtured right from early years of a child’s life.
Other development partners who attended the briefing session were the World Bank, USAID, International Labour Organisation, and UNHCR among others.
PASET is a unique Africa-led initiative, which focuses on building skills for key economic sectors that support Africa’s socio-economic transformation, from the upper-secondary/TVET level to postgraduate education and scientific research.
Currently, the PASET programme has 12 members which includes the Governments of Rwanda, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Benin, Tanzania, Somalia, Burkina Faso and Kenya.
It is governed by African Education Ministers, scientists, development experts, business leaders and African academics and is facilitated by the World Bank.
The meeting was also attended by Chief Executive Officers of State Corporations in the Ministry of education and senior education officers.
By Joseph Ng’ang’a
