Cisco Networking Academy in Kenya Marks Fourth Year of Success in East African Region

Ministry of Higher Education, Science & Technology to Incorporate Academy Program Into University and TIVET Curricula

NAIROBI, Kenya - The fourth annual Cisco® Networking Academy® instructors’ East African event, held on 14 April, hosted Kenya’s permanent secretary for the Ministry of Higher Education, Science & Technology, Professor Crispus Kiamba, at the Kenyatta University Mombasa campus. The event also celebrated the ministry’s formal commitment to incorporate the Networking Academy program into university and Technical Industrial Vocational Educational Training (TIVET) curricula throughout Kenya.

The two-day Africa Networking Academy Safari event, now in its fourth year, brings together academy representatives throughout East Africa to maintain the quality of information technology (IT) instruction by providing in-depth technical refresher training sessions for all instructors. The event also facilitates interactions between instructors, prospective employers for workforce development, and Cisco strategic business partners and resellers.

This year, the Mombasa event hosted instructors from Networking Academy sites in Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia and Mauritius. For the first time, the Rwanda Information Technology Agency was also represented. During this event, the top-performing academies, individuals and partners in the program also received awards.

“Technology is evolving rapidly, and the aim of gathering Networking Academy representatives together every year is to ensure they are equipped with the latest IT training skills,” commented Hital Muraj, Cisco Networking Academy area manager for East Africa. “The Networking Academy offers a long-term solution for providing a highly skilled and well-trained workforce. A highly skilled workforce is essential for transforming a country into a knowledge-based economy and stimulating strong economic growth.”

The ministry is bringing advanced technology instruction into universities throughout Kenya. Mombasa Polytechnic has already launched the Networking Academy program, and the program will begin in Eldoret, Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu in 2010.

“Cisco’s collaboration with the Ministry of Higher Education, Science & Technology marks an important milestone for the Networking Academy program in Kenya and demonstrates the Kenyan government’s ongoing commitment to equipping the upcoming workforce with the necessary IT skills to contribute to today’s economy,” commented Shahab Meshki, general manager for Cisco East Africa.

For more details about Cisco Networking Academy, visit: http://www.cisco.com/web/learning/netacad/index.html

Note to Editors:

The Networking Academy last year marked its 10-year anniversary. Over the past decade, the Networking Academy program has touched more than 2 million students in 166 countries around the world.

Kenyatta University established a Cisco Networking Academy in East Africa, on 8 June 2008, bringing the total number of educational establishments offering Cisco courses and certifications in Kenya to 24. Through this strategic collaboration with the Networking Academy, the university has embarked on a rapid expansion strategy aimed at making it a world-class university and also expanding the courses it offers. In Kenya alone, there are now 25 active academies with more than 3 088 students, and 75 instructors. Furthermore there are 84 active academies throughout East Africa, with 17,647 enrolled students.

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