Mombasa County Government is seeking to strengthen collaboration with reputable public universities to expand access to higher education, promote research and develop skilled human capital in the coastal region.
Governor Abdulswamad Nassir said his administration was keen to establish strategic partnerships with institutions of higher learning to equip residents with relevant skills and create opportunities for socio-economic development.
He spoke when he received a delegation from Kenyatta University (KU), led by Vice Chancellor Prof. John Okumu, during a courtesy call at the county headquarters.
Nassir said the meeting focused on exploring areas of collaboration between the county government and the university, particularly in higher education, research, skills development and human capital investment.
He cited the existing partnership between the county government, the Technical University of Mombasa (TUM) and Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital (CGTRH) as an example of how collaboration between devolved governments and institutions of higher learning can deliver meaningful results.
The governor said the partnership had facilitated the establishment of a medical school at TUM, which is currently training its second cohort of 12 medical students, bringing the total enrolment to 24.
“Together with TUM, we established a medical school that is now training its second cohort of 12 medical students, bringing the total enrolment to 24,” he said.
“Our vision is to see 120 doctors from Mombasa trained here at home and serving the people of Mombasa and the coastal region at large,” Nassir added.
He further revealed that his administration was pushing for the upgrading and reclassification of Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital from Level Five to Level Six to strengthen specialised healthcare services, medical training and research.
Established in 1908, CGTRH has a bed capacity of 723 and serves more than one million people across the coastal region and beyond.
Level Six hospitals form the highest tier of Kenya's public healthcare system, providing specialised medical services, advanced surgical care, clinical training and medical research.
Nassir emphasised that education remained a central pillar of his administration's development agenda, noting that strategic partnerships with universities and technical institutions were essential in preparing residents for emerging economic opportunities.
He said the county was also embracing the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) framework to promote skills development, improve employability and support economic growth.
Through a partnership with the Mombasa based Kenya Coast National Polytechnic, the county government is working to equip its employees with formal certification by recognising competencies and skills acquired through work experience and informal training.
RPL is a structured assessment process through which individuals have their existing skills, knowledge and competencies evaluated and certified, regardless of whether they acquired them through formal education, workplace experience or informal learning.
The governor described the framework as a transformative tool for improving employability and accelerating socio economic development.
On early childhood education, Nassir said his administration had prioritised access to quality learning through free Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE), daily school feeding programmes and the integration of daycare facilities across public centres.
Mombasa County currently has 98 public and 770 registered private ECDE centres, serving 47,867 children aged between four and five years.
He urged residents to take advantage of the expanding educational opportunities and university campuses within the county to acquire relevant skills, advance their careers and contribute to regional development.
KU Vice Chancellor Prof. John Okumu said he led the university delegation to explore areas of mutual interest and establish a framework for stronger collaboration with the county government.
He noted that the proposed partnership would have far reaching benefits in higher education, economic development and social empowerment in Mombasa and the wider coastal region.
“The engagement provided an opportunity to explore areas of mutual interest and strengthen institutional collaboration for shared development and service delivery to the community,” Prof. Okumu said.
He added that Kenyatta University was keen to strengthen partnerships with county governments across the country to promote research, practical skills development and technology transfer.
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