The 61st edition of the Nyanza region Kenya Science and Engineering Fair (KSEF) has kicked off at Nyamira Girls High School in Siaya County.
A total of 624 young student innovators from schools across the six counties in the Nyanza region are presenting 312 science innovations that will compete to get to the national event that will take place at Kangaru Boys High School later in the year.
At the end of the four-day event, only 104 top scientific innovations from the regional level will be given the green light to represent Nyanza in the national competition.
Speaking during the official opening of the event, Nyanza Regional Director of Education Mr. Lawrence Karuntimi underscored the importance of the KSEF event, terming it an opportunity for students to promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education and innovation, which is the backbone of progress in any society.
Mr Karuntumi said that through STEM innovation and education, the students become competent in problem solving and critical thinking.
He said that STEM education and innovation not only drive technological advancement in the country but also help spur economic growth in the country by creating job opportunities and fostering entrepreneurship.
The regional director encouraged the young scientists and innovators who will not make it to the national competition not to regard their innovations as a waste but to build on the experience to come up with better innovations that are successful in the future.
“As you try to solve global problems, please know that in this field of innovation, there is no failure. What you get is experience that you will leverage on to do better, so everyone taking part in the competition is already a winner,” said Karuntuni.
The RDE, who was accompanied by the KSEF Nyanza region chairperson Peter Magawe, urged the students to keep abreast of the constantly emerging innovations, especially in artificial intelligence and robotics.
“Aim to come up with better innovations to solve global challenges like climate change, insecurity and access to clean water,” he challenged.
Mr. Magawe said the main objective of the 61st edition of KSEF is to help the government achieve Vision 2030 and also assist the region to solve emerging problems.
“Through your innovations, we are sure that not only the Kenyan government but also the region and the world will achieve their agenda and also find solutions to emerging problems,” said Magawe.
The KSEF regional chairman asked the young innovators to focus on projects that utilise locally available resources to solve problems in agriculture with the aim of boosting food security.
He exuded confidence that the Nyanza region will clinch the top spot at the national competition in 2025 just as it did by emerging as the best region in the country in 2023 and 2024.
“We have a strong team that is behind our innovators, and we are determined to retain the top spot nationally. And it does not stop there. We are going all the way to continental competition in South Africa, and the global level is the United States, just like we managed to go for global competition in Ireland last year,” said Magawe.
The Centre for Mathematics Science and Technology Education for Africa (CEMASTEA), the 2025 KSEF sponsors, has announced that the Robotics category, which was initially designed for STEM-modelled schools, has been okayed for all schools in the country.
CEMASTEA also assured the innovators that judging will be based on scientific principles aligned with the competition’s educational objective.
By Brian Ondeng
