Lands CS presides over 14th graduation ceremony of East and Central Africa's leading geoscience college

Lands Cabinet Secretary Hon. Alice Wahome today presided over the graduation of 521 students at the Kenya Institute of Surveying and Mapping.

KISM is East and Central Africa's leader in the geoscience education and offers diplomas and craft certificates.

Hon Wahome, who was accompanied by Lands and Physical Planning PS Hon. Generali Nixon Korir, said KISM plays a vital role in Kenya's development goals and the Government will expand the institution so that it can train more students.

The institution offers courses in Land Surveying, Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing, Cartography and Print Technology.

"KISM is a leader in geoscience and is a point of reference in East and Central Africa. Students are trained in new technologies like remote sensing," said the CS.

She said some of the graduants will be absorbed by the Government while others will get jobs in the private sector or in neighbouring countries.

PS Korir said the Government is committed to supporting KISM and is in the process of expanding student accommodation. He said the State Department for Lands and Physical Planning will recruit more staff and transfer resource persons from other sections to KISM.

The PS noted that due to the increased demand for the courses offered enrollment had increased two fold in recent years.
 

While encouraging the graduants to keep on working hard, the PS said, "you are now skilled to take up jobs in government and private sector and to be self-reliant."

KISM Director Jesse Waithaka said the institution's training is aligned with Kenya's national development goals.

"The surveying and Mapping industry is dynamic and constantly influenced by changes and development in technology and that is why we use the latest technology to train out students" said the Director.

The graduation was attended by representatives from major institutions of higher education in the country as well as Heads of Departments from Ardhi House.