The Kenya Electricity Transmission Company Limited has donated Sh1 million for the establishment of a new scholarship fund at Kenyatta University.
The Ketraco Scholarship for Orphans and Vulnerable Students will educate two female orphaned and vulnerable students in electrical or civil engineering for five years.
Ketraco and KU have also partnered to support the Kenyatta University Biennial Research and Innovation Conference slated for October 22 to 25.
The electricity transmission company has donated Sh1 million towards the conference.
During the signing of the MOU and award of the cheques by Ketraco CEO Fernandes Barasa, both initiatives were yesterday hailed as attempting to bridge the engineering skills gap in the country.
The conference, themed "Research and Innovation for the Achievement of Sustainable Development Goals and Kenya’s Big Four Agenda", is expected to attract participants from all over the world.
“The overall objective of the MoU signing is to jointly develop mutual collaboration in various areas including areas of research that touches on electricity transmission, support equity, access and excellence in higher education,” Barasa said.
The partnership will include the exchange of information and documentation, participation in jointly organised conferences and workshop meetings.
It will also include engagement with other collaborators and offer students attachment and internship opportunities to graduate students whose research interest is aligned to those of Ketraco.
KU Vice Chancellor Prof Paul Wainaina hailed the partnership as an example of what can be achieved through collaborations between universities and the private sector.
(Edited by O. Owino)
