More than 5,000 learners at Garissa University are set to benefit from enhanced learning facilities following the groundbreaking of a KES 272.9 million Tuition Complex funded by the M-Pesa Foundation.
The project will involve the construction and equipping of modern lecture halls, science and ICT laboratories, faculty offices, examination rooms and conference facilities. The complex will be powered by solar energy and incorporate water harvesting systems to enhance environmental sustainability.
The development will also include a Safaricom Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre aimed at promoting skills-based education and supporting student-led enterprise development.
Focus on infrastructure-driven learning outcomes
Speaking during the groundbreaking ceremony, Esther Koimett, Chair of M-PESA Holdings Company Limited, said infrastructure plays a critical role in improving educational standards.
βEducation has the power to transform lives if learners are given an opportunity to access quality facilities. Education goes beyond content, with infrastructure as an enabling factor in improving learning standards. At the Foundation, we have embarked on a programme known as Citizens of the Future that is targeted at construction, renovation and equipping of institutions in all 47 counties,β she said.
The initiative falls under the Foundationβs Citizens of the Future programme, which focuses on strengthening educational infrastructure nationwide.
Expansion of ICT and TVET support
In addition to the Garissa University project, the Foundation is set to launch an ICT centre at the University of Embu under its TVET programme.
Other institutions that have benefited from similar support include:
- An ICT Centre at Maseno University
- A nursing school at Tangaza University in Nairobi
The Citizens of the Future programme aims to provide more than 10,000 scholarships over five years to learners in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions and senior secondary schools.
Ongoing TVET and digital skills initiatives
Beyond infrastructure development, the Safaricom Foundation continues to support technical training initiatives.
Through its TVET Programme, more than 1,000 students are currently supported in institutions such as Waithaka Vocational College, Ahero Vocational Centre and Wiyumiririe Vocational Centre.
The Wezesha Vijana Programme is also supporting vulnerable youth in Nairobi, Isiolo and Marsabit counties with technical and digital skills training.
In parallel, the Digital Skills Programme is upskilling teachers in approximately 35 Teacher Training Colleges. Institutions including Machakos TTC, Egoji TTC and Eregi TTC are among those set to receive upgrades aimed at strengthening digital literacy among educators.
Long-term investment in Garissa County
Since inception, Safaricom through its foundations has invested KES 912 million in more than 58 projects across Garissa County, spanning education, health and livelihoods.
The new tuition complex at Garissa University represents one of the largest single investments in higher education infrastructure in the county and is expected to improve access to modern learning facilities for thousands of students.
