Lands and Physical Planning Principal Secretary Nixon Korir presided over the 13th graduation ceremony of the Kenya Institute of Surveying and Mapping.
A total of 457 graduands were awarded Diplomas and Craft Certificates in the fields of photogrammetry and remote sensing, cartography, land survey and printing technology at the graduation at KISM in Ruaraka, Nairobi.
While addressing the graduation ceremony, PS Korir said the Government plans to elevate the status of the college, which is a training arm of the State Department of Lands and Physical Planning, to Semi Autonomous Government Agency to increase its performance and efficiency.
He said the institute has been training professionals who have been able to perform well in their profession both at home and abroad.
"The graduates we send out into the job market are competent and resourceful to perform land management duties in our country and abroad," said PS Korir.
The PS also urged the graduates to join professional bodies as soon as they step out of college. He said many students who do professional courses get locked out of employment because of their failure to join relevant professional bodies.
He said KISM has continued to play an important role in Kenya's development and it has also served to train professionals from neighboring countries.
"KISM has been a focal point in the transfer of Geo-information knowledge within the East, Central and Southern Africa regions. This has been possible through the Third Country Group Training programmes," said PS Korir.
KISM has also collaborated with Kenya International Boundaries Office (KIBO) to train staff from Kenya, Tanzania and South Sudan in short courses to empower them to reaffirm and map their common international boundaries.
Additionally, I have to mention that KISM is a Centre of Excellence in the Northern Corridor Integration Project (NCIP) involving Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan in the human capacity cluster.
The ceremony was also addressed by the Director of KISM Jesse Waithaka, the Director of Surveys Weldon Maritim and the President of the Institution of Surveyors of Kenya Abraham Samoei.
