Jeremiah Kioko

KENYA EDUCATION NETWORK

Following the signing of the MOU between the governments of Kenya and the USA, The USAID convened a meeting of the stakeholders on April 23, 1999 at which the Kenya National Education Network (KENET) was set upunder the chairmanship of Professor Ratemo Michieka, the then Vice-Chancellor of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. This network was to include universities, professional training institutes, post secondary training institutions, schools, research institutes, libraries, with Telkom Kenya as a facilitatng partner. During the second meeting on August 5, 1999, KENET appointed a Secretariat to be coordinated by Professor Henry Thairu, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic Affairs), JKUAT. At the Third meeting on August 25, 1999 the Secretariat was enhanced to include representatives of the various types of organizations and mandated to also serve as the Steering Committee of KENET. The members present at the second meeting formed four working groups which deliberated on the major issues regarding implementation and the Plan of Action. The preliminary recommendations of the groups were incorporated into an action plan. Further meetings of the groups took place for concrete decisions to be made towards implementation of the Action Plan. The participating institutions committed resources in manpower, time and finances in facilitating formation of the KENET and in developing an Plan of Action.