Kenya’s Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology and Samsung today partnered in a deal that will see students buy laptops at affordable prices amidst the recent VAT increment.
The partnership will see all the JKUAT students buy genuine laptops from Samsung at highly subsidized prices plus the 16% VAT imposed by the government.
Robert Ngeru, Samsung Electronics East Africa lead said, “Our interest in providing educational solutions arises from the fact that this continent is gripped by poverty, underdevelopment, and unemployment and infrastructure challenges. As a responsible corporate citizen, we therefore seek to address these challenges by implementing effective and sustainable initiatives that will play a key role empowering our utilized youthful talent.”
That talent will in turn fuel innovation in Kenya’s tech scene after school. Kenya’s ICT sector has had an exponential growth due to skills development. However, there is still a growing need for highly-skilled professionals capable of driving IT innovation and entrepreneurship both in the public and private sector.
JKUAT, Kenya’s top technology university believes this move will help them nurture innovators and use technology to aid and enhance research in learning institutions and in the country as a whole and fil the skills gaps in both private and public sectors.
“Without a doubt, this partnership will drive our efforts in offering quality ICT-based training as we build the next generation of tech business leaders and entrepreneurs who are cognizant of global technological trend and have vast knowledge of their various areas of study “ Explained Professor Mabel Imbuga, Vice Chancellor, Jomo Kenyatta University of Science and Technology.
UPDATE: Samsung’s deal valued at more than Kshs 190 million and signed following a competitive tendering process by JKUAT will see the students will be paying the 16% VAT on the new laptops acquired. No escape for the students.