In order to promote its aviation education, Mang'u High School has got an aeroplane from Kenya Airways (KQ).

The Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) Group will donate a Boeing 737-700 to the Kiambu-based school.

In the next five years, hundreds of students will benefit from the KCB Group collaboration with the school to grow its aviation training programme.

The School's aviation center will be outfitted with the help of KCB, giving the students practical aviation training and preparing them for professions in the aviation sector.

 KCB Group CEO Paul Russo said the lender remains committed to supporting the youth agenda and that includes access to skills development, business development support and financing.

“Through this sponsorship, our goal is to inspire students to take up a career in the aviation sector with a long-term goal of mainstreaming it in our curriculum,” he said.

The programme is expected to train a critical mass of future air traffic controllers, aircraft engineers, pilots among others.

Mang’u High School is one of the few schools in Kenya that offer aviation training, focusing on technical skills such as propulsion, thermodynamics, and meteorology.

The aviation students undertake most of their studies at Wilson Airport & Moi Air Base in Eastleigh.

Mang’u Board of Management Chairman Anthony Maina Mithanga said that they are incredibly grateful for the support we have received from KCB and other organizations.

“We believe that a strong aviation program is essential for preparing students for the future in this field,” he said.

Government statistics show that Kenya has a deficit of over 2,000 pilots with an ambition of training at least 800 annually in the next five years.