KENET conducted a five (5) in-person training for System Administrators from February 26- March 1, 2024 at the KENET Training room. The training which was attended by 26 participants from 24 institutions focused on mastering the Fundamentals of Unix/Linux administration through a practical and hands-on approach. The course covered all aspects on Linux/Unix System administration including an introduction to Linux system administration, familiarization with the Unix and Linux shell scripts, command line tools and user management.

KENET’s Enterprise and ICT solutions lead, Mr. Alfred Kipruto highlighted the importance of training in empowering the ICT staff with foundational skills in the current IT landscape. "The interest in this basic hands-on Linux/Unix training underpins its importance to the ICT staff as it empowers them with foundational skills crucial in today's IT landscape. Linux OS is mostly used in servers supporting MIS or LMSs, web applications etc, making proficiency in its administration essential for managing diverse technological environments. This training not only enhanced their troubleshooting capabilities but also instilled a deep understanding of open-source principles, fostering adaptability and cost-effective solutions. This training was designed to ensure the ICT staff are well-prepared to meet the dynamic challenges of evolving IT infrastructures within their learning institutions. "

This was further reiterated by Mrs. Nyanjau Kimani, Senior Systems Administrator (Enterprise Services), who highlighted the role of the training in equipping participants with the skills to navigate the modern computing environments. “The training covered the key foundational concepts of Linux systems administration and the significance of firewalls among others equipping participants with the skills to effectively manage the systems in their institutions.” said Mrs. Kimani.

Speaking during the training, Mr. George Mwangi, Head of ICT, Limuru Technical and Vocational College shared on how impactful the training was in enhancing their system administration skills. “Through the training I was able to gain more insight on Unix/Linux administration through a practical and hands-on approach. It equipped me with better system administration skills which will come in handy in the operations at our institutions,” said Mr. Mwangi. Ms. Purity Kimanthi, Head of ICT, Nuu Technical and Vocational College commended KENET on the training and noted that the knowledge and skills gained will be used in the ICT operations at the college.

On-going Fundamentals of Unix and Linux System Administration training

The Fundamentals of Unix and Linux System Administration course is a prerequisite course for all other advanced ICT courses offered by KENET which include Scalable campus networks, Network management and Online Advanced Cybersecurity Course. The training is in line with the Training of Trainers (ToT) model where KENET aims to build a pool of competent trainers who will then train other people in their respective institutions as they support the ICT operations in member institutions.