NAIROBI, Kenya– Graduating students from the tenth season of the Africa Tech Challenge (ATC) have put Kenya in the spotlight, dominating across multiple technical disciplines.
Kisii National Polytechnic, Technical University of Kenya, and Meru National Polytechnic produced top performers in areas such as CNC turning, mechanical engineering, and mobile application development. Individual students also stood out, with Ian Claris Nderitu and Victor Njune earning scholarships to study in China.
“I’m lost for words. This opportunity will afford me training opportunities in China to prepare for the WorldSkills Competition,” said Nderitu.
Education Cabinet Secretary Migos Ogamba acknowledged the importance of competitions like ATC in preparing students to compete internationally.
“And because of that partnership, we are seeing a lot of progress in our students being skilled and getting the best practices across the world,” he said.
The ten-week program brought together 568 participants in 142 teams from 12 countries, including Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The graduates spent weeks developing technical skills, applying theoretical knowledge in practical challenges, and collaborating across borders.
Li Qingtang, Executive Vice President of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), highlighted the broader impact of ATC in Africa.
“Upholding the philosophy of ‘Love in Aviation,’ and through its ‘Blue Ribbon’ overseas Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives, AVIC has built and upgraded 189 vocational institutions across Africa, training more than 20,000 teachers and students annually,” he said.
Since its launch in 2014, the Africa Tech Challenge has trained over 1,000 young people across the continent.
The latest cohort of graduates from ATC’s 10th season is expected to join the workforce or pursue further studies with advanced skills, strengthening Kenya’s presence in engineering and technology sectors.
