Technical University of Mombasa dominated airwaves of the KBC Channel 1 and Pwani FM radio on Friday, June 14, 2024, as the station producers transmitted their programs from the University for three hours.
The KBC’s popular Mashav Mashav program aired concurrently on the Pwani FM and KBC Channel 1 from 9.00 am to 1200 noon featuring live interviews, music, call-ins and other live performances.
It also featured students, their leadership, and the Vice Chancellor Prof Laila Abubakar.
Mashav Mashav is one of the most acclaimed radio productions in terms of audience appeal in Mombasa and the larger Coast region.
Targeting the youth, the program normally features artistes and opinion shapers as well as professionals from different backgrounds who work with the youth and or students.
The lead show hosts included Gates Mgenge and Ken 1GB, both alumni of TUM; therefore, they were able to keep the audience fully engaged.
TUM VC Prof Laila used the opportunity to inform the public through radio that the preparations to start school of medicine at TUM were nearing completion. She assured that the school would be operational by next year.
She further said that plans to constitute the proposed Institute of Marine Studies were on course, and the Institute is purposed to house Marine Engineering, Nautical Science and Commercial Shipping courses, which have already been ongoing for several years.
Prof Laila lauded the government for committing 27 per cent of its budget to education in the recently tabled 2024/2025 Budget.
The Vice Chancellor urged youth to take education seriously and to reciprocate their parents’ efforts through hard work. She also advised those taking Engineering and Natural Sciences to embrace certain business and social science skills in order to be holistic professionals.
During the same show, TUM Students Association President Mr Elvis Otieno alias Beast called on the Education CS Mr Ezekiel Machogu to consider an urgent review of the criteria used to categorize students as vulnerable, needy or able.
Otieno said the real situation on ground showed there were many students who had been categorized as less needy whereas they are vulnerable, and therefore they were facing high risks of dropping out of the University due to poverty.
He claimed that the current Finance Bill was going to deprive the students’ unions of allocation hence crippling their functions.
Otieno said that TUMSA had so far extended bursaries to at least 250 needy students.
