Samsung and Jomo Kenyatta University Partner to Promote E-Learning

Samsung JKUAT Partnership

Samsung Electronics East Africa has teamed up with Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) to provide affordable laptops to university students which will aid them not only in carrying out research but also becoming innovators through content development.

This follows the signing of partnership between the two organizations which is an initiative that will see all the JKUAT students acquiring genuine laptops from Samsung at highly subsidized prices.

Speaking during the signing of the partnership event held at JKUAT Graduation pavilion, Samsung Electronics East Africa Chief Operating Officer, Mr Robert Ngeru said the deal would enable the university students to keep up with the rapidly evolving technology landscape while at the same time providing them with the efficient tools to nurture their talents and enrich their ICT skills.

"Our interest in providing educational solutions arises from the fact that this content is gripped by poverty, underdevelopment, unemployment and infrastructure challenges and as a responsible corporate citizen, we therefore seek to address these challenges by implementing effective and sustainable initiatives that will play a key role in empowering our utilized youthful talent," Said Mr Ngeru.

The exponential growth of ICT sector in Kenya has created highly -skilled professionals capable of driving IT innovation and entrepreneurship both in public and private sector. The demand has also been fueled by the new dispensation led by the county government that will be relying heavily on ICT while collaborating with the Central Government.

"Without doubt, this partnership will drive our efforts in offering quality ICT- Based training as we build the next generation to tech business leaders and entrepreneurs who are cognizant of global technological trend and have vast knowledge of their various areas of studies, "said Professor Mabel Imbuga, Vice Chancellor, JKUAT.

According to a data from Communications Commission of Kenya, internet penetration in the country went up by 4.3 percent to 41.1 percent in the second quarter of the 2012/2013 financial year a clear indicator that the country is becoming a more converged and an ICT based economy

ICT has been viewed as one of the key enablers of economic growth in line with the country's vision 2030 which aims at making the nation a new industrializing, middle-income country and providing quality life for citizens. This is because in a span of five years the country's GDP has grown to close to $ 37 billion which is an average five percent economic growth which has been coupled with heavy investment in fibre connectivity.

The occasion was graced by Cabinet the Cabinet Secretary Ministry of Information, Communication and Technology Dr. Fred Matiangi and other dignitaries from the ministry, Samsung and the JKUAT fraternity.