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Tag: #KenyaBureauofStandards

  • Education stakeholders commit to teaching coding in schools as building blocks for digital economy

    Education stakeholders commit to teaching coding in schools as building blocks for digital economy

    • KAIS and Kodris hold a symposium to sensitize stakeholders on the importance of teaching coding to young learners.
    • Up to 55% of jobs in Kenya will require some level of digital skills by 2030.
    • Globally, employment in computer and IT occupations are projected to grow 13% from 2020 to 2030, faster than the average for all occupations.

    Education stakeholders have affirmed their commitment to the early introduction of the coding curriculum in schools to help learners acquire technical skills relevant to a digital economy. Technology is rapidly changing the landscape of the workforce with employers across the world increasingly seeking a digitally skilled labor force.

    It is projected that by 2030, 50 – 55% of all jobs in Kenya will require some level of digital skills with the demand being primarily driven by enterprises adopting digital technologies.

    It is against this backdrop that the Kenya Association of International Schools (KAIS) in partnership with Education Technologies firm, Kodris Africa and Kenya Commercial Bank on Thursday convened a Digital skills symposium that brought together various stakeholders from the education and ICT sectors.

    The event delved into the computing and coding curriculum and the importance of incorporating digital skills in primary and secondary schools. Also present were tech giants Microsoft, Google Safaricom, and Liquid Telcom among others.

    In the last two decades, curriculum reforms have been driven by rapid technological and social changes. However, while the importance of digital skills has been recognized, there has been less of a focus—particularly in emerging markets—on the scale of demand for these skills, and the models that can be used to teach them.

    Speaking during the event, Jane Mwangi, KAIS Head of Secretariat, underscored the need to train learners on digital skills from the elementary level saying, “If you look at more developed countries like Singapore and Japan, they have been teaching coding to their learners from the kindergarten level, but as we have also done that as international schools, we are glad that public and private schools are finally catching up. We have no option but to make coding part of our lifestyle,” she said.

    Speaking during the event that was attended by close to 100 International Primary and Secondary Schools, Jack Ngare who is also head of Google in Africa said the only way Kenya and Africa are going to stay on par with developed nations is by introducing coding at the elementary level of schooling.

    “Coding is one of the fundamental building blocks in IT and empowering our people to be able to understand and build some of the technological products that we consume is why we need to start teaching coding in this country at zero option. Rather than just being consumers of technology, we build it as well. We were left behind by the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd industrial revolutions, are we going to allow ourselves to be left behind by the 4th industrial revolution too?”

    Managing Director, of Microsoft Africa Development Centre, Catherine Muraga said coding has become so central to all career paths adding, “the need to teach learners how to solve problems through coding has become a lot more important that we have to pay attention. It is as important as English or French in communication. We have to make sure our children are well equipped for efficiency and productivity.”

    In Kenya, the demand for digital skills training is expected to surge as we approach the next decade. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the speed of this change. 70% of demand is expected to be for foundational skills, followed by 23 % for non-ICT intermediate skills.

    Kodris Africa is the only organization offering a curriculum approved by the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD). Speaking at the event, Kodris Africa CEO, Mugumo Munene emphasized the importance of teaching learners more than just how to use computer applications.

    “If you talk to experts, they will tell you that the younger you start learning how to code the better it is.  In a world that is so connected, children need to learn digital skills such as coding from an early age. The curriculum we have developed is not necessarily for one segment of schools, it is cross-cutting and can be deployed by public schools, private schools, and international schools.”

    Coding involves translating instructions for a computer from human language to a language a machine/computer can understand. Technologies that we have come to rely on such as smartphones, ATM cards, mobile money, Internet banking, e-learning, and telemedicine all run on codes.

    Speaking on behalf of KICD, which is the body mandated to provide curricula and curriculum support materials, the Assistant Director of e-Learning, Charles Munene said that “In the last two decades, curriculum reforms have been driven by rapid technological and social changes. Coding is becoming the most in-demand job skill of the future, therefore, we must align our curriculum to this rising demand in the job market.”

    Countries like the US, China, England, Germany, and France among many others in the developed world have already made coding compulsory for grade-one learners.

    Globally, employment in computer and IT occupations is projected to grow 13% from 2020 to 2030, faster than the average for all occupations.

    The median annual wage for IT occupations was $91,250 in May 2020, which was higher than the median annual wage for all occupations of $41,950. Demand for IT skills is expected to be driven by cloud computing, the collection and storage of big data, and information security.

  • President William Ruto Chairs Cabinet Dispatch

    President William Ruto Chairs Cabinet Dispatch

    PRESIDENT William Samoei Ruto, Ph.D., C.G.H. has this morning chaired a meeting of the nation’s apex policy organ, Cabinet, at State House,Nairobi.

    The meeting was convened to consider the progress made in the national response to the ongoing drought situation that has affected 23 counties; together with an appraisal of the ongoing humanitarian support and relief food being provided to the families in those areas and the medium-term and long-term strategies being developed to address the food security situation in the country.

    Cabinet considered a broad array of proposals touching on climate change adaptation, reducing Kenya’s reliance on rain-fed agriculture by increasing irrigation, planting of diverse and drought resistant crops, and the implementation of early warning and response mechanisms that are activated at the very start of adverse situations rather than when the situations have escalated into disaster conditions.

    As part of the medium to long term responses to the ongoing drought, and as a progressive step towards significantly redefining agriculture in Kenya by adopting crops that are resistant to pests and disease, Cabinet also considered various expert and technical reports on adoption of biotechnology; including reports of the Kenya’s National Biosafety Authority (NBA), World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), United States of America’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

    In accordance with the recommendation of the Task Force to Review Matters Relating to Genetically Modified Foods and Food Safety, and in fidelity with the guidelines of the National Biosafety
    Authority on all applicable international treaties including the Cartagena
    Protocol on Biosafety (CPB), Cabinet vacated its earlier decision of
    8th November, 2012 prohibiting the open cultivation of genetically modified crops and the importation of food crops and animal feeds produced through biotechnology innovations; effectively lifting the ban on Genetically Modified Crops.

    By dint of the executive action open
    cultivation and importation of White (GMO) Maize is now authorized.

    Today’s decision follows an earlier Cabinet decision made on 19th
    December, 2019 regarding the commercialization of Bacillus
    Thuringiensis (BT) Cotton Hybrids in Kenya; which is a genetically
    enhanced variety of cotton that is resistant against African Bollworm, the
    most destructive and pervasive pest in cotton framing.

    That earlier approval by Cabinet sought to revamp production of textiles, apparel, feed, and oil-industries towards the realization of the industrialization; and today’s Cabinet decision builds on it and also extends its benefits to other agricultural and manufacturing
    sectors.

    The nation’s apex policy organ was also apprised on the preparations for the National Examinations for Grade 6, Class 8 and Form 4; which are scheduled to take place from 28th November, 2022 to 23rd December, 2022.

    Cabinet took the opportunity to wish all candidates success as they prepare and sit for their examinations.

    Cabinet welcomed the normalization of the education learning calendar with effect from January of 2023, noting that it would herald the conclusion of the recovery of learning times lost due to the school closures occasioned by the COVID-19 Pandemic.

    Cabinet reaffirmed the importance of the ongoing reforms to steer the nation towards an era of Universal Health Coverage through the bold and progressive legislation enacted early in the year on mandatory

  • Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) in Recruitment Malpractices

    Close to TheCrossFireNews, it has come to access to documents At KEBS as per editors pick and editorial check is An advertisement dated Thursday, August 26, Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) indicated that the bureau was looking to hire 109 individuals to occupy various posts.

    They included an inspection manager and a principal office administrator at the managerial level. Civil engineers, electrical engineers, pharmacists and mechanical engineers.

    The process haunts the management with Managing Director (MD) Bernard Njiraini and Principal Secretary Amb. Kirimi Kaberia taking the big chunk of blame for playing dirty in the whole recruitment process.

    According to an anonymous letter sent to some media houses and copied to other bodies by aggrieved staff, the recruitment process was largely flawed by the management. The staff are petitioning for an open recruitment process. Below attached is the letter.

    With the re-establishment of the East African Community (EAC) and Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), KEBS activities now include participation in the development and implementation of SMCA activities at the regional level where it participates in the harmonization of standards, measurement of conformity assessment regimes for regional integration. KEBS operates the National Enquiry Point in support of the WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT).

    We are here to report recruitment malpractices at the Kenya Bureau of Standards.

    KEBS advertised 109 positions in the month of September 2021. The deadline for submitting applications was 10.09.2021.

    What happened is that the MD (Lt. Col (Rtd) Njiraini) took upon himself to invite the Ministry of Trade and Enterprise Development to be part of the shortlisting and interviewing process. This has never happened before because KEBS recruitments have always been transparent and very objective.

    We are made to understand this was done because of the directives from the Principal Secretary Amb. Kirimi Kaberia who is set to run for a political seat therefore he wants to use the employments to reward his political supporters in his village in Meru). Not only have that, the MD himself Mr. Njiraini wants to employ his county political associates for himself and for his friends.

    he MD flouted all the recruitment processes in KEBS overlooking the committee which is charged with the responsibility of all recruitment and instead appointed his spanner boys who do all his dirty jobs.

    Below are the names for the so-called shortlisting committee

    1. Murira- this is a Director who was appointed irregularly as a reward to Meru community. This is the man who has set up the whole process. First, he is not a member of the committee and he was appointed to chair the panel. He is been tasked to ensure the interest of the PS. Ambassador Kaberia, Board chair and the larger Meru interests are taken care of at the expense of other applicants.
    2. Kirimi is the mastermind of all the rumours and gossip in KEBS. He is the one in charge of the recruitment system and has ensured he tampered with the system. He gets information from the system and calls people demanding for money in return of recruitment. He is boasting all over that people should know that there are Meru’s at KEBS.
    3. Abdow- this is one of the most corrupt officers in KEBS. The MD uses him to carry out his dirty jobs at KEBS. He got in irregularly and has caused a lot of chaos in HR department since he joined the organization.
    4. Njeru- this is the officer from the Ministry ensure that all Mt. Kenya applicants specifically Gatundu, Meru and Embu are given the jobs.
    5. Miriam- this a very new Director and does not understand the malpractices in KEBS especially recruitments- she is a coverup to cheat the rest of us that the process is fair.

    The question is what is going to happen to the rest of Kenyans who have applied if this is what is happening?

    We understand there are internal employees who could have benefited from the recruitment but the advert was advertised externally so that it is used for political gains.

    According to Public Service Commission and KEBS HR policies, there is a committee charged with advising the MD in all recruitment process and the same has been completely ignored in this particular recruitment.

    The MD (Mr. Njiraini has completely run down KEBS since he joined KEBS in 2019. In fact he has been arrested in the past due to corruption. He is still in office courtesy of his godfathers. This MD became MD although he was number six during the interviews)

    We have written to your good office so that you can intervene by having the recruitment process stopped or cancelled until the MD appoints credible people to drive the process.

    This process is highly compromised, the end result is to benefit Mr. Kaberia (PS), Mr. Njiraini (MD), KEBS Board chair, HOD-HR and his woria friends in KEBS and outside KEBS.

    We are, once again, appealing to your good office to intervene by having this process stopped or cancelled altogether. As we are writing the same corrupt team is carrying out short listing.

    Njiraini has been exposed on corruption in many news sites and many times.

    In October, 2020 last year – KEBS was stopped from expanding a vehicle inspections tender following queries around the process.

    Parliament adopted a committee report that seeked to have Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) Managing Director Bernard Njiraini held responsible for litigation that could arise from a controversial tender.

    The Principal Secretary State Department of for Industrialization Amb. Kirimi Kaberia.

    In July 2020, EACC officers arrested Bernard Njiraini for frustrating graft investigations at the parastatal.

    Njiraini was arrested for refusing to give EACC detectives original documents related to multimillion-shilling tenders the commission is investigating.

    Njiraini was arrested as a penal consequence for failing to comply with a notice issued to him to surrender the documents.

    EACC had been investigating allegations of procurement irregularities and payment of bribes in respect of awards for tenders for provision of pre-export conformity of goods, used motor vehicles, mobile equipment and spare parts by Kebs. 

    The Public Investments Committee (PIC) recommended punishment for Mr Njiraini and the procurement team at Kebs for alleged impropriety in awarding a pre-export verification tender. The National Assembly adopted the report that recommended that the top officer at the state agency be surcharged in the event bidders challenged the award.

    The watchdog committee chaired by Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir also recommended that the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission probe the circumstances under which Kebs engaged blacklisted firms, EAA Company Ltd and Auto Terminal Japan.

    The Auditor-General had in a special audit recommended that the two firms be barred from engaging in such tenders. But the agency went ahead to engage them in its bid to have more firms inspect vehicles being imported into the country.

    In reference to the recruitment process, KEBS has issued a rebuttal to the claims raised by the staffers in the anonymous mail. While replying to the consumer body Cofek, Kebs management and by reflex, are denying any wrong doing in the recruitment.

    They said in part “the shortlisting committee for this recruitment was duly appointed in line with its internal processes and the KEBS Human Resources Policy. The ministry of industrialization, trade and enterprise development is the parent ministry (the ministry) to KEBS and is therefore engaged and consulted by KEBS as and when necessary, In this case, the ministry is providing technical and professional human resources support during the recruitment process.”

    Section 5 of the Standards Council Act which establishes KEBS only requires KEBS Council to consult with the ministry on the appointment of the director (CEO/MD) of KEBS, not the rest of the staff.

    KEBS Managing Director Bernard Njiraini.

    1) The Minister shall, on the advice of the Council, by notice in the Gazette, appoint a Director of the Bureau who shall be the chief executive officer of the Bureau.

    (2) The Council shall, after consultation with the Director, appoint such members and staff of the Bureau as the Council may deem necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Bureau under this Act.

    While replying to Keb’s rebuttal, the consumer body has further poked holes in the denying statement.

    ”It is not clear why the ministry and or principal secretary, who sits on the Standards Council, will still have himself and or a nominee on shortlisting committees for internal and or externally advertised jobs. Cofek equally remains a stranger to the KEBS Human Resources Policy – where no specific section was quoted in the KEBS generic response – that was more of a veiled threat than the salient information sought.“

    We’ve also learnt that KEBS threatened Cofek to pull down article they had posted earlier on the recruitment petition claiming it had dealt them an unstated disrepute. Suspiciously, they want article taken down without convincing evidence that it was malicious, this is a common threat from corrupt leaders who want to hide information from the public and continue operating in secrecy.

    Cofek has refused to give into their demands, “

    KEBS is a key consumer protection agency. Its a primary partner to Cofek. Recruitment of its’ human resources is, therefore, a critical component of consumer protection. It cannot be gainsaid. Again, in light of Article 10 and especially 35 of the Constitution, information held by government and required in the public interest ought to be released to the public. It is the legitimate expectation that KEBS will provide the required full information.” The body stated.