4.1.3 Desired Outcomes and Targets by 2017
The master plan seeks to improve the ICT human capacity in Kenya
with the following outcomes:
a) Availability of sustainable local high end ICT skills to meet the
needs of the industry;
b) Adequate workforce to transform and innovate business using
ICT; and
c)
ICT literate population capable of exploiting ICT products and
services for improved quality of life.
4.1.4 Objectives and Strategies
a) Scaling up ICT human capital and workforce
development
Objective O1: Develop a critical mass of local high-end ICT
skills
Strategy S1:
Institutionalize
at least 5
sustainable
CoEs for ICT
high end skills
development
and scholarship
program
The following strategies have been identified for scaling up ICT professional development.
Strategy S1: Institutionalize at least 5 sustainable CoEs for ICT high
end skills development and scholarship program. The establishment
of at least five Centers of Excellence in five universities that teach
electrical engineering, computer science and information systems to
develop high end ICT talent. This shall include new teaching laboratories, employment of at least 75% doctoral level faculty in computer
science, engineering and information systems. In order to retain the
high-end faculty there will be a need to introduce new reward systems, attract expatriates from other countries and provide doctoral
and masters-level scholarships.
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This strategy can be realized using the following actions:
a)
Institutionalize ICT industry-driven capacity building fund
b)
Institutionalize industry-driven high-end capacity support initiatives
c) Formalize internship programmes
d) Avail scholarships to bright students to be admitted into the
CoEs,
e.g. by capturing more scholarships in ICTs from MoEST and other
ministries
e)
Incentivize students to follow ICT programs in CoEs
f)
Creation of an educational cluster of universities running
ICT degree programs in Konza
g) Form and manage
an
effective
partnership with
KENET, Commission of Higher Education, Kenya Innovation Agency,
local
and international universities and other academic partners to promote production of quality manpower for the ICT sector
Strategy S2: Collaborate with the Commission of University Education
(CUE) and Industry to strengthen ICT degree programs in all Kenyan
Universities. A pre-requisite for high-end ICT professional development is good ICT degree programs. Although there is a large number
of an ICT graduate, local industry has complained about the quality of
entry-level ICT employees from the universities as earlier noted.
Strategy S2:
Collaborate with
the Commission
of University
Education (CUE)
and Industry to
strengthen ICT
degree
programs in all
Kenyan
Universities
All of the universities will therefore be required to develop detailed
plans for addressing each of the above challenges. For example, the
shortage of doctoral level faculty and the low PhD throughput of local
universities in ICT areas, particularly in computer science and electronic engineering, will initially require recruiting expatriate staff from
neighboring countries, Diaspora or some of the Asian countries like
India or China. The lack of advanced teaching facilities will require
massive investments by the Government and private sector.
The Commission for University Education (CUE) shall inspect all ICT
departments within the first year of launch of the Master Plan to ensure compliance with approved regulations for ICT degree programs.
From this collaboration the Master Plan will achieve the following:
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