[kictanet] The Premier B.Sc. Computer Science Programme in Kenya
Muthoni Masinde
muthoni at uonbi.ac.ke
Thu Nov 12 12:58:59 EAT 2009
Harry,
Your recommendations are quite demanding but I do agree with you that this
path will yield better results. I am summarizing all these comments for our
academic members of staff. We highly appreciate the valuable input and we
intend to incorporates as much as we can.
I will would like to pick out your statement on employers being
Œunrealistic¹ in their demands. I for example don¹t understand why an
employer would ask for a First Class in Computer Science and CPA V from the
same human candidate!
Cheers,
Muthoni
On 11/11/09 9:21 PM, "Harry Delano" <harry at comtelsys.co.ke> wrote:
>
> John W,
>
> I agree with you to an extend. However, I feel that clustering of all these
> disciplines in one particular curriculum, either way or Cramming
> one course with all that can possibly be taught in class, and meet what the
> employer might be seeking for may not be practical in the long
> run. Infact this seems to be the case with the current curricula, where most
> of the disciplines within the current course outlines really never
> get applied anywhere. This is wasted knowledge. Just like, much of the physics
> and the Chemistry you and me learnt in High school may
> just have been a real total 'waste' of time, effort, and money. It might only
> serve to create some walking encyclopedias with knowledge that
> never gets applied. Let us develop Specialized Training Curriculas way before
> even the university entry..
>
> Muthoni, if you would ask me, I would recommend that even before you overhaul
> the current University curriculum, a crucial section of
> stakeholders that comprise the High School, and probably the upper primary
> School fraternity, need to be brought into the fold in order to
> develop and adopt what I would call a "Bottoms-up" approach in arriving at
> curriculum that flows right through the entire Education system
> as currently structured, with vision 2030 in mind.
>
> Of course the other end of the production - The employers, who are consumers
> of the Finished products, are equally important, but also
> will need to make "Realistic" demands on the graduands.. When you demand that
> you need graduates who have done computer Science,
> Electronic Engineering etc, all compressed in one, it tends to lock out
> deserving prospects for the job. It may be cost-saving to look at it
> that way but in the long run it won't augur well for skills development that
> we have at our disposal.
>
> Please cast the net far and wide, it's just as a multistakeholder issue, at
> hand, just as the Constitutional Review is..
>
> Regards,
> Harry
>
>
> From: kictanet-bounces+harry=comtelsys.co.ke at lists.kictanet.or.ke
> [mailto:kictanet-bounces+harry=comtelsys.co.ke at lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf
> Of Walubengo J
> Sent: Wednesday, November 11, 2009 10:18 AM
> To: harry at comtelsys.co.ke
> Cc: skunk; waema at uonbi.ac.ke; moturi; sci-acad at uonbi.ac.ke; KICTAnet ICT
> Policy Discussions
> Subject: Re: [kictanet] The Premier B.Sc. Computer Science Programme in Kenya
>
>
> Muthoni M,
>
> I think its good to see Academia going back to the industry to ask for input
> in curricula development. Previous University Dons would rather claim it was
> their sole prerogative to say what needs to be taught and when and how it
> would be taught.
>
> Indeed just looking at the recent post from Eng. Kariuki regarding "ICT Jobs
> at Huawei" it shows the gap between industry and academia. Whereas most ICT
> University Curricula continues to be strictly segmented along EITHER
> "Computer Science/Info Technology" OR "Electrical/Telco Engineering" most
> employers seem to be looking for BOTH CompScience/IT and Engineering
> components from their candidates.
>
> The Challenge then becomes, should IT students be taught some
> Telco-engineering concepts or Should Electrical and other Engineers be taught
> IT concepts? I know I have not answered your question regarding inputs for
> the Computers Science program, but it is just that your question provokes
> more questions than answers...
>
> walu.
>
>
>
>
> --- On Tue, 11/10/09, Muthoni Masinde <muthoni at uonbi.ac.ke> wrote:
>
>>
>> From: Muthoni Masinde <muthoni at uonbi.ac.ke>
>> Subject: Re: [kictanet] The Premier B.Sc. Computer Science Programme in
>> Kenya
>> To: jwalu at yahoo.com
>> Cc: "moturi" <moturi at uonbi.ac.ke>, "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions"
>> <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>, "sci-acad at uonbi.ac.ke"
>> <sci-acad at uonbi.ac.ke>, waema at uonbi.ac.ke
>> Date: Tuesday, November 10, 2009, 2:39 PM
>>
>> Dear Nancy,
>> I agree with you; we actually review our curriculum every 4 years; the
>> current one is 4 years old and that is why we are reviewing it. We have
>> always done it through the approach you have described but this time round,
>> we would like to incorporate stakeholders views. Quality assurance issues
>> are well taken care of.
>>
>> The issue of specialisation from 2nd year seems to be favoured by many and
>> we consider this.
>>
>> Thank you very much for the comments and indeed I will be glad to receive
>> more ideas from ICSIT-JKUAT.
>>
>> Best regards,
>> Muthoni
>>
>>
>> On 11/10/09 12:03 AM, "n_macharia at yahoo.co.uk
>> </mc/compose?to=n_macharia at yahoo.co.uk> " <n_macharia at yahoo.co.uk
>> </mc/compose?to=n_macharia at yahoo.co.uk> >
>> wrote:
>>
>>> > Muthoni,
>>> >
>>> > This is a brilliant idea. In my view you benefit by eliciting very
>>> valuable
>>> > and resourceful ideas for the Curriculum from experienced and sharpened
>>> staff.
>>> >
>>> > An all stakeholder involvement in either curriculum review or development
>>> is
>>> > an IUCEA and CHE requirement. Its the right process for both academic
>>> quality
>>> > assurance and towards offering demand driven(ICT industry, Kenyas vision
>>> 2030)
>>> > and custom built training.
>>> >
>>> > The revision is long overdue. In any case the requirement is one cycle
>>> which
>>> > is in the period of five yrs.
>>> >
>>> > On CS, the direction focus should be specialisation from 2nd Year of
>>> study
>>> > after the foundation units.
>>> >
>>> > We in academia, believe in sharing "cable", here knowledge and ideas.
>>> Will
>>> > share this with ICSIT colleagues in JKUAT and come back to you.
>>> >
>>> > Nancy Macharia
>>> > Deputy Director
>>> > ICSIT JKUAT
>>> > Sent from my BlackBerry®
>>> >
>>> > -----Original Message-----
>>> > From: Tuma Barua <tumabarua at gmail.com
>>> </mc/compose?to=tumabarua at gmail.com> >
>>> > Date: Mon, 9 Nov 2009 17:19:40
>>> > To: <n_macharia at yahoo.co.uk </mc/compose?to=n_macharia at yahoo.co.uk> >
>>> > Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions<kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke
>>> </mc/compose?to=kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> >;
>>> > moturi<moturi at uonbi.ac.ke </mc/compose?to=moturi at uonbi.ac.ke> >;
>>> <waema at uonbi.ac.ke </mc/compose?to=waema at uonbi.ac.ke> >
>>> > Subject: Re: [kictanet] The Premier B.Sc. Computer Science Programme in
>>> Kenya
>>> >
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This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner,
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UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI IS ISO CERTIFIED
The University of Nairobi is committed to providing quality services to all
its clients. The University will monitor and review its quality performance
from time to time through an effective implementation of the Quality
Management System based on ISO 9001:2008 standard.
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