Safaricom has donated ‘Mini GSM network’ to the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology ( JKUAT).
Safaricom Chief Executive Officer Bob Collymore
The mobile telcom firm inturn expects the technical support to nurture telecommunications engineering professionals from among the institution’s students.
This is as it looks to bridge the gap between industry and academia. The Mini GSM network is valued at Sh80 million.
The kitty will enable students to initiate and terminate a phone call, transfer data and conduct any services that Safaricom is capable of making for academic purposes.
Career growth
The move is aimed at preparing them for a career in telecommunications engineering.
“The lab will transform the way telecoms practical training is offered at the University and impact not only on the students’ knowledge and capability building but also the university and the Industry as whole,” said Bob Collymore, chief executive Safaricom.
“The telecoms industry needs graduates who have developed the right skills before joining a workplace and this initiative will equip them with the necessary skills and competencies needed.”
Prof Mabel Imbuga, JKUAT Vice-Chancellor said the partnership with Safaricom should be taken as a standard for corporate and academia partnerships.
“This laboratory will provide the much needed practical and research orientation to students and faculty and thus increase their competitiveness,” said Professor Imbuga.
“This will make JKUAT the University of choice for aspiring telecoms professionals in East and Central Africa.”
The ICT industry has over time complained about the quality of graduates from local colleges and institutions.
Many players have argued that while the country may have talent, they still have to invest heavily to get graduates to be industry-ready as the institutions use outdated curriculum and technology to train students.
Safaricom said the equipment given to the JKUAT Engineering and Telecommunications laboratory was aims at ensuring the students are well prepared with practical skills for application in the industry.
The donation entails a full GSM equipment suite consisting of among others a base station, BSC Microwave Link and Switches.
The equipment will be used to establish a functional GSM network and transmission system to be used during practical lessons.
Those to benefit most are students taking courses in mobile communication, data communication and transmission courses.
By Macharia Kamau, The Standard
