𝐅𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐒𝐡𝟏𝟎 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐈𝐂𝐓-𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩

𝐅𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐒𝐡𝟏𝟎 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐈𝐂𝐓-𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩

Seventy female university students from Nakuru are benefiting from a Sh10 million World Bank scholarship programme that is geared towards equipping them with technical skills to promote digital innovations.

The World Bank scholarship programme is being funded through the Ministry of Trade and Investment’s Kenya Industry and Entrepreneurship Project—Strengthening Kenyan Innovation Ecosystem (KIEP-SKIES), which aims to build the capacity of young incubators and Technology boot camp providers as well as subsidising tuition costs for female students to ensure rapid technological advancement in Africa.

Rift Valley Institute of Business Studies (RVIBS) Head of ICT, Mr. Patrick Mwai, says the scholarship program targets students pursuing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects who are being empowered to innovate and enjoy a hands-on approach to teaching and learning.

Mwai said the programme has established a special classroom space at the Rift Valley Institute of Business Studies (RVIBS), which is fitted with equipment that enables the students drawn from both public and private universities to carry out activities such as coding, 3D printing, laser cutting, soldering, electronics, robot building, or robotics.

He said the 70 female students are being equipped with other skills, including digital marketing, cyber security, and web design, among others.

The ICT head further explained that the special classroom was using robots and computers to teach STEM lessons where they integrate the lessons with Information Communication Technology (ICT).

The learners, he added, are also being enabled to carry out creative coding, physical computing, and incubation of viable STEM ideas, in addition to the students being enabled to share resources and knowledge, work on projects, and network.

“This is a space targeted for female students with a maker mindset where they can come together and create something out of nothing and explore their own interests,” stated the Head of ICT.

Tutors at the special classroom say the teaching module has not only made learning easy but also full of fun where the robots are assembled using tiny pieces of plastic consisting of either studs or holes and other standardised components to fit into each other to form one functional unit.

Mwai said the use of robots makes young learners work in logical and effective ways that foster scientific reasoning and critical thinking, which may not be guaranteed in theoretical learning.

He indicated that the learners also engage in ‘robotic challenge’ which entails assembling and programming, which requires a lot of creativity and learning.

As Kenya rushes to establish its own version of the Silicon Valley and industrial parks, Mwai said there was a need to develop the right manpower to drive the vision, including the youthful innovators.