Varsity chancellor urges parents to invest in children's education

Delegation from Wilhelmsen Ship Management, one of the world's largest third-party ship managers in the world, during a visit at Technical University of Mombasa on Friday.

By Farhiya Hussein
Saturday, January 20, 2024

She emphasized that it is important for parents to actively engage in their children's education.

Parents in the Coast region have been challenged to invest in their children's education to enable them to access opportunities.

According to the Technical University Vice-Chancellor Professor Leila Abubakar, parents in the region had shifted their priorities.

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“You find parents can willingly go and buy a nice dress for a wedding but that same parent cannot afford to pay the fees for their child. We need to change the attitude and we can do that through mentorship,” she said.

Prof Abubakar was speaking during an education forum organized by Changamwe legislature Omar Mwinyi at Changamwe Primary School.

She emphasized that it is important for parents to actively engage in their children's education and prioritize their welfare.

"Parents have to make sacrifices, we do not have to keep on relying on the government for everything. There is a part the government has to play and also there is a part where a parent has to play,” said Prof Abubakar.

Bomu Secondary School Principal Wilfred Mutoni also expressed concern about a high number of students dropping out of school. This is after 31 students out of 118 registered Form Four candidates in his school failed to attend classes after the registration.

“We registered 119, one died, unfortunately. Out of 118 candidates, 31 disappeared. I had to visit their homes in Bomu and talk to their parents before they showed up. However, three girls failed to show up because they were expectant,” said Mutoni.

Changamwe CDF Manager Ibrahim Kilai noted that last year they released Sh40 million to over 60 beneficiaries.

“We hope as the years go by, more students will be joining higher institutions of learning,” he said.

At the same time, the Technical University of Mombasa on Friday welcomed a delegation from Wilhelmsen Ship Management, a major global third-party ship manager.

Led by Craig De Savoye, General Manager (Africa) of Wilhelmsen, the delegation, including representatives from The Oceans and Blue Economy Office and the State Department of Shipping and Maritime Affairs visited to explore opportunities to recruit Kenyan cadets.

De Savoye, the Chief Guest, expressed enthusiasm about the university and its potential to support Wilhelmsen's vision of shaping the maritime industry's future through the acquisition of skilled human resources.

Professor Laila highlighted the university's commitment to providing high-quality training for Nautical Science and Marine Engineering students, emphasizing the significance of partnerships with industry leaders like Wilhelmsen in expanding the institution's global presence.