Nairobi — Kenya will aim to quadruple its investment in science from 0.48 per cent to two per cent of its gross domestic product (GDP) if a new policy bill is passed by parliament later this year.
In July, Kenya's cabinet approved the funding hike in the draft science, technology and innovation (STI) policy bill to accelerate economic growth towards becoming a middle-income country by the year 2030.
The draft acknowledges that integrating STI in national development strategies cannot be achieved without increasing funding to the sector.
"It is a big victory for STI when the government approves not just what we had asked for - one per cent - but raised it to two per cent [of GDP]," Margaret Kamar, Kenya's minister for higher education, science and technology, said at the Africa Science Journalists Conference in Kenya last month (20-24 August).
Kamar said the extra funding would start next July (2013) if parliament approves the budget.
"Then the treasury will be obliged by law to devote two per cent of GDP to the STI sector," said Kamar.
Currently, Kenya commits only 0.48 percent of GDP to science, which is below the one per cent target agreed by African heads of states at a meeting in Addis Ababa in 2006. Only South Africa has made a substantial progress toward that, with funding for research and development (R&D) standing at around 0.9 per cent.
Shaukat Abdulrazak, head of Kenya's National Council for Science and Technology (NCST), told SciDev.Net: "It can be practical with good political will. I think one per cent is possible. In the long term two per cent is practical too; we have no option if we are to attain Vision 2030 [Kenya's development blueprint], and be globally competitive.
"We have started gradually with limited resources, so funding will boost and speed up development in the STI sector. If we move from 0.48 to two per cent in two years, that would be great."
The move will reduce dependence on donor funding and help set the national R&D and STI agenda, Abdulrazak said.
He added that the bill will also help strengthen university research, which is currently underfunded; enhance capacity for postgraduate and postdoctoral training; and promote partnership with the private sector.
The bill will be scrutinised by the parliamentary committee on education, science and technology, which may suggest amendments, before it is sent to parliament for debate.
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Without science there is no future for Africa.Should you wish to improve your oil sector you need to be able to develop your technology to be able to satisfy the growth of nation also depth in avaiation fuel technology.Africa has a lone and deep scentific community that goes into hundreds of thousands of years.I keep reminding Africans that Africa itself should become a World Heritage site.In Kenya itself there are places that still have not been ewcava
Without science there is no future for Africa.Should you wish to improve your oil sector you need to be able to develop your technology to be able to satisfy the growth of nation; also depth in avaiation fuel technology would be a leap in complete independence.Africa has a long and deep scentific community that goes into hundreds of thousands of years.I keep reminding Africans that Africa itself should become a World Heritage site.In Kenya itself there are places that still have not been escavated??? Africa full stop has scientific observations that will go soo far back in time it will be astonishing!!.I agagin say to Africa find out for yoruselves the great history that is all Africas. We have been brainwashed into beliveing the hunter gatherer story so much that we belive this nonsense as scripture.Africas beginnings are so very very deep and its time not just to use our minds and explore the new challenges that confronts us but to rediscover our glorious past.The common denominator for science is mahtmatics which we mastered hundreds of thousands of years ago. The pyramids is a mathmatical mastery of genius. the giant monuments the great cities built in the mountains are great acheivemenst of the African. The alphabets we use today were invente3d and created by Africans to teach others of our diciplines.The art of mental retention was practiced with great scientiufic astonishments in times of antiquity and what is important for Africans to know is that when we say antiquity we mean over a million years; when our current asociates speaks of antiquity they can only conceive five thousand years that is being gracious their ascendancy can be only traced back two thousand years ago.The credibility of the things I say will be rediscovered by these young pioneers who will astound the world with thier acvhievements this I am sure of.S. Africa has already developed a new cure for malaria; Senegal as rediscoverd a very very ancient city!!!!.ikeep saying to my critics what we know as the mid east and all Africa was one, they were highly civilzed and they were the creations of the black Africans.Ancient bibilical history has not been challenged enough by our black African compatriots, white scientist have defined Moses as black.Hamites Kushites were indeed black we canchart them thruout all the mid east north africa central and east Africa. when we examine further we find them in west Africa and as far as south Africa, all one people. Evolution that whites speak of is happening in Tanzania we see blonde hair blue eyes children being born to full black parensts. What we have not seen is any full caucasion partners birthing a black child.We contiue to see time and time again black partners birthing white children never the reverse. So I say to my young African scientist put the sceptics to rest educate yourselves teach the truth to the children life is short so make the journey worth while. Our children need truth and the legacy of facts to inspire and make them grow, success is something that is a must!!!.The time for departing far away from the brain washing the racist progganda that has been shovd down our throats blasted in our ears and fliked in our eytes by the deciet of telievision and the mastyery of lies deception and theft has left us paralysed but I say not any longer!!!!!Africa will stand firm and retain its glory!! !!!!