For Kenya to realize Vision 2030 Science and technology is one of the major catalysts and a major pillar of the vision 2030. This was well captured in the just concluded 56th Kenya Science and Engineering Fair 2018 National competition theme “Science and technology for actualization of vision 2030.” The four day event was held at Kibabii, high School Bungoma County that brought together about 1,800 people who included: teachers, innovators, students, sponsors and officials from the ministry of Education state department of basic education.
In order to encourage innovation and development in technology, Kenya Nuclear Electricity Board (KNEB) has been a major sponsor of Science and Engineering Fair for years and this year wasn’t any different. As tradition KNEB sponsors three major categories out of the eleven, which includes: Engineering, Physics and Energy with monetary gifts, trophy’s and branded merchandise for the innovators.
Speaking during the closing ceremony on behalf of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) Chief Executive Officer who was the Chief Guest, Mr. Mathenge, Deputy Director Quality Assurance of TSC, lauded and encouraged the young high innovators to continue dreaming and come up with more innovations. He said ‘ Innovation is beyond age, race, creed and time as such we need to keep dreaming, because science can change our future and the onus lies on young innovators like you.’
KNEB took this opportunity to interact with young innovators, teachers and members of the public. This served the organizations mandate to create awareness among our stakeholder, to interact and answer some of their questions on matters of nuclear energy. This was the fifth year that KNEB was sponsoring the fair.
If you have no idea what Kenya Science and Engineering Fair is, you might remember it as Science Congress depending on your age. The Fair was launched in 1962 by members of the then Kenya Science Teachers Association.
This year’s Science and Engineering Fair was marked by amazing ideas and project showcasing at the fair. Further the fair stretched beyond the border with secondary students from various part of the country and a duo from South Africa presenting their projects. The students submitted their projects for judging by a panel selected by the Ministry of Education. The project categories include: chemistry, physics, Biology and Biotechnology, Mathematical Science, Food technology & Home Economics, Energy & Environmental Science, Applied Technology and Computer Science.
The awarding ceremony marked the climax of the fair and the winner of each category walked away with trophies and a shopping voucher worth twenty thousand of shilling courtesy of KNEB. The ceremony was full of entertainment as student performed dances, poem, and rap songs. The most notable thing was how Shree Cutchi Leva Patel Samaj School (SCLPS) from Nairobi West dominated as they won in most of the categories and in one of the categories taking the 1,2,3 positions. I could tell how much the winning at the fair meant to the student as the winner could not contain their joy while some of the “losers” broke down in tear. The winners will represent Kenya on an International level in South Africa and also get a chance to show case their projects at National Science, Technology and Innovation week at KICC.
KNEB is committed in promoting science and innovation among the youth through sponsoring and partnering with initiatives such as the Kenya Science and Engineering fair and Science week and Science Week as platform for engagement on science, technology and innovation which nuclear electricity generation is.
By Jonathan Njoroge & Emmanuel Wandera