Authors: Franklin Nyairo (Novia UAS)
IMPACT for Kenya TVET
Novia UAS / Aboa Mare Visit to Kenya
In May 2024, a team from Novia University of Applied Sciences, including representatives from Aboa Mare (Franklin Nyairo, Anna-Karin Jansson, Magnus Winberg, and Peter Björkroth), conducted a field visit to Mombasa, Kenya. The visit played an essential role in the project’s mission to enhance maritime education through strategic partnerships with between Novia UAS and Kenyan maritime education and training institutions, more specifically with Kenyan Coast National Polytechnic (KCNP).
The IMPACT for Kenya TVET project addresses key challenges like instructor development and simulation resources while pursuing broader objectives. It aims to enhance the quality of maritime education in Kenya by equipping instructors with digital tools and innovative teaching methods. Furthermore, the project promotes collaborative research between Novia UAS and Kenyan MET institutions, thus fostering innovation in the maritime sector. With support from Novia UAS / Aboa Mare, the partnership with KCNP aims to contribute to establishing a sustainable model for maritime education.
During the trip, the team engaged with several key maritime institutions in the region, including Kenya Coast National Polytechnic (KCNP), Bandari Maritime Academy, Technical University of Mombasa, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), and other prominent organizations such as the Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA) and the Maritime Technology Cooperation Centre (MTCC). These engagements were instrumental in understanding the current landscape of maritime education in Kenya, identifying gaps, and exploring collaborative opportunities to improve maritime training and education.
The team sought to understand and map out the status of the maritime sector in Kenya. It also discussed various challenges facing Kenyan maritime education, including the shortage of qualified instructors, the need for enhanced simulation resources, and the difficulties in securing sea-time placements for students.
Enhancing Teacher Professional Development
One of the main challenges identified during the visit was the lack of permanently employed, competent maritime instructors in Kenya, especially for deck training. To address this, Aboa Mare looks forward to playing a leading role in developing and delivering professional development training for Kenyan maritime instructors. A highlight of this effort is the upcoming two-week training scheduled for October 2024, where KCNP instructors will visit Aboa Mare’s state-of-the-art facilities in Turku, Finland. Moreover, the visiting instructors will participate in three specialized courses designed to equip them with the necessary skills to deliver high-quality maritime education: Global Resource Management (GRM) Course, IMO 6.09 Training Course for Instructors and IMO 6.10 Train the Simulator Trainer & Assessor Course.
The upcoming training in Finland will provide KCNP instructors with hands-on experience using Aboa Mare’s advanced simulators. This exposure will not only enhance their technical skills but also provide them with insights into the best practices for integrating simulators into their teaching, thereby improving the quality of maritime education in Kenya.
Simulator Resources and Training Initiatives
A key aspect of the IMPACT for Kenya TVET project is the enhancement of simulation resources within Kenyan maritime training institutions. Maritime simulators are vital for providing students with practical, hands-on experience in a controlled environment, simulating real-world scenarios that they are likely to encounter at sea. However, the high cost of these simulators has been a significant barrier for many Kenyan institutions.
To address this, IMPACT for Kenya TVET initiative is exploring cloud-based simulation solutions, to broaden the access to these critical training resources and providing a cost-effective and innovative solution allowing multiple Kenyan institutions to access advanced simulation tools without the need for significant individual investments.
This initiative is part of GIZ Promotion of Youth Employment and Vocational Training, a jointly-funded technical cooperation project by the governments of Finland and Germany, to promote inclusive and high quality dual-vocational training in Kenya, with GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit) acting as an executing agency.