Director ICCA meets with National Council for Nomadic Education in Kenya
The CEO National Council for Nomadic Education in Kenya (NACONEK) Mr. Harun Mohamed Yusuf sent a team to represent him in a meeting with the Director ICCA, Prof. Daniel O. Olago on areas of common interest and possible future cooperation. The team members were Mr. Oscar Makhoha, an expert on technical and vocational education, Mr Alex Oduor, an expert in water engineering and Ms. Angelina Brandt, a consultant with the NIFWESS project who are working closely with NACONEK in the execution of their mandate.
The team from NACONEK gave an overview of the programmes they are working on, emphasizing their use of practice to inform policy, evidence based decision making and a trans-disciplinary approach to education. This grounding offers a holistic approach that is aimed at providing sustainable solutions to the many challenges facing communities,students and educators in NACONEK's areas of operation.
NACONEK's work is informed by:
- The Kenya Consitution 2010, section 56 (b) that stipulates" The state shall put in place affirmative action programs designed to ensure that minorities and marginalised groups are provided with special opportunities in education and economuc fields",
- Basic Education Act 2013, Section 39 (C) that states "it shall be the duty of the Cabinet Secretary to…. ensure that children belonging to marginalized, vulnerable or disadvantaged groups are not discriminated against and prevented from pursuing and completing basic education.” and
- The global Sustainable Development Goal(SGD) No. 4 that aims at “Ensuring Inclusive and Equitable Quality Education and Lifelong learning for All by 2030”.
In view of this, NACONEK has established a presence in the ASAL regions, pockets of poverty and urban informal settlments to ensure that education being delivered is up to par and relevant to the environment that it is targeted at.
Prof. Olago gave an overview of the Institute for Climate Change and Adaptation(ICCA) from its establishment to the thematic areas the institue currently works in. He also gave examples of the unique areas that the ICCA students are currently carrying out research in climate change adaptation. It was noted that the two institutions are grounded in the transdisciplinary approach to problem solving and can identify areas of synergy both in education and lessons learned from the research that can be beneficial to the two as they deliver their mandate.
It was agreed that ICCA and NACONEK further explore the possibility of partnership in areas of interest to both organizations.