Innovations
As the government remains keen in supporting innovations in universities, the institutions have remained steadfast in coming up with creative solutions that, if supported, can address modern-day challenges.
One such university is Zetech that has slowly been winning awards at the national and continental stage. During this year’s World Skills Kenya National Competition at the Kenya School of TVET in Nairobi over the weekend, their students won the first runner-up award in the Cyber Security and CISCO Networks category in the web and cloud platforms.
Mburu Karanja and Simon Wafula came up with solutions in performing security checks to assess systems vulnerability and giving recommendations to secure them. Other innovations showcased by the university include the Automatic Shower Systems by Kennedy Kimari, Face Recognition Security Systems by Mike Francis Ng’ang’a, Water Quality Monitoring System by Michael Kamau among others.
A few months ago, the University also received awards after winning the AirSafi, an Internet of Things (IoT) innovation which monitors the air quality index that was ranked third best at the Inter-University Power Learn Project Hackathon.
They also were the first runners-up position in the 3rd Edition of the African Telecommunication Union (ATU) Innovation Challenge. Other innovations include the production of the Smart Pest Deterrent System, a technology designed to protect farms from birds and pests, and ranking as the best University by Kenya Education Network Trust (KENET) in the utilisation of online resources and e-learning.
Speaking while lauding the students’ efforts, the University Vice chancellor Prof. Njenga Munene said the project not only highlighted the creativity and technical prowess of the students but also demonstrated the institution’s commitment to fostering a culture of innovation and practical skills.
He attributed the success to the high level of training and mentorship provided by the university as it gears to chunk out technically proficient and competitive graduates on the national and global scale. The VC said the university remains focused on nurturing talent, fostering innovation, and contributing to the development of a skilled workforce that will drive the country’s economic and social progress.
“The achievements at this year’s competition are a clear indication that the institution is on the right trajectory and continues to play a pivotal role in shaping the current and the future of Kenya’s tech skills and talents,” said Prof. Munene
The competition was jointly organized by the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Authority, the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI), International Labour Organization (ILO) and Huawei and focused on showcasing and elevating technical skills across the country.
It served as a precursor to the World Skills Africa competition scheduled for March 2025 in Zambia, as well as the World Skills global competition in Lyon, France from this month.