The Computer Society of Kenya

Since 1986

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By PONCIANO ODONGO

Daily Nation Monday, December 3  2012

It is one of the latest private colleges in Kitengela town and does not have much to offer in terms of an institution of higher learning.

But the formerly sleepy town is coming alive with buildings being erected here and there with more people moving in to settle or do business.
When Apogee Institute of Professionals (AIP) opened its doors early this year, therefore, it did so with the intention of filling a void.

The expanding Kitengela town meant that there would be more young people in need of higher education.

Strangely, despite its expansion, Kitengela does not seem to have caught the interest of the growing thirsty universities and colleges in Nairobi and other towns.

Therefore, Kitengela has no campus affiliated to any of the major private or public universities. It also has few colleges.

Thus, young people in need of higher education have had to commute to Nairobi — about a 40-minute drive away.

The heavy traffic makes the learning experience a tough one.

The need to address these challenges is what motivated the owners of AIP to set up the college; to offer an alternative for students who have had to make daily trips to attend classes.

“Most students travel every day to the city centre for education. It is against this backdrop that the institution was started,” affirms the director of the college, Mr Moses Muriithi.

AIP offers training in accountancy, business, management, ICT, and other business-related courses.

These courses are examined by KASNEB and KNEC. According to the director, the college is in the process of establishing affiliations with a number of international examining bodies.

They include the Institute of Commercial Management (ICM) and the Association of Business Executives (ABE), both based in the United Kingdom.

AIP also aims to serve residents of the surrounding towns and townships, such as Mlolongo, Athi River, Isinya, and Kajiado.

Presently, the college serves about 200 students. “We are happy with the response,” declares Mr Muriithi.
French and German languages are also offered as side courses.

Others are communication skills, guidance and counselling, entrepreneurship, peer education, drug and substance abuse awareness, and business.

Studies are offered either on part-time or full-time basis to accommodate the different needs of students.

AIP is presently a day college without accommodation facilities. However, the director plans to change that. He says:

“We are working on enabling the institution to cater for those in need of boarding facilities. The demand has tremendously grown.”

AIP is located in the heart of the fast-expanding Kitengela town, which is beginning to spot tall buildings. It is, therefore, easy to access.

Hopefully, the growth in the town will not result in the kind of bustle that might interfere with the present serenity of the college.

For the few months it has been in operation, more than 100 computer students, about 80 KASNEB students, and 20 KNEC students have been trained at AIP.

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