By Edwin Esinyen Echwa
Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA) and Turkana University have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that seeks to teach students at the university how to write a policy paper and understand how government policies are articulated.
KIPPRA is a gov’t body mandated with matters of gov’t policies and is also a research body.
Speaking to the media at Turkana University, KIPPRA executive director Mrs Rose Ngugi said they are rolling out a mentorship programme for university students and lecturers so that the students can understand the Government Policy Agenda and government operations in terms of policy, research and analysis as they prepare for the job markets.
KIPPRA chairman Prof Ben Sihanya said most university students have been doing academic research and forgetting policy and analysis research and leaving more research work to government bodies yet universities are capable of influencing policy and analysis research.
Prof. George Cheminingwa, the Acting Principal at Turkana University, said the partnership programme between Turkana University and KIPPRA will go a long way in assisting the students and lecturers understand the Government Policy Agenda.
Eng. Justus Wambutura revealed that despite Turkana University being a small institution, it’s the only university in Africa offering Masters of Science in Human Evolutionary Biology course.
He added that it’s also the only university offering adult classes for their staffs who did not attain form four education so that they can see need for education and also assist their families.
‘The university intends to have programmes that are community tailored. Plans are also underway to offer a nursing course at the institution and open up the fisheries industry in Lake Turkana,’ he added.
Wambutura added that Turkana University has a higher percentage of foreign students having admitted students from South Sudan, Uganda and Ethiopia.
Turkana University currently has a student enrolment of 1300, 51% are self-sponsored while 49% are government sponsored and doing their post graduate studies.
158 students graduated last year.
