The AfDB has approved a $73.31 million loan to strengthen science and technology education at the tertiary level in Kenya.
This loan, provided by the African Development Fund, the concessional lending arm of the African Development Bank Group, is expected to equip 19 public universities with modern laboratories, teaching equipment, and digital learning facilities.
The funding will not be limited to these purposes; it will also support the establishment of three engineering centers of excellence. Additionally, a science and technology park will be created where students and researchers can turn their ideas into practical solutions.
The project will provide scholarships for 103 university lecturers and update the education curriculum to meet modern standards.
Under the HEST II initiative, it is expected that over 20,000 students will benefit from these services, and around 5,000 new jobs will be created.
In the first phase of the project in Kenya, the facilities of eight universities were modernized, and engineering programs were expanded. With the second phase, these efforts are expected to reach a broader impact across the country.