They can if given the environs environment to do so. One of my student once designed a program to prepare lecture and exam time table which later tested by school
This is great. we need a framework that help convert research to commercialize products and service. This is the difference in the universities/research engagement in first world and Africa. We needs
re-think. The value of doctoral work is ' what it becomes' and ' not journal publications' because products drive science and fund research and development globally.