CS Ogamba calls for better university graduates as Kenya prepares for 2029 CBE transition

Kenyan universities have been urged to shift their focus from admitting more students to producing graduates with practical skills, strong values and the ability to tackle real-world challenges, as the government pushes for higher standards across the education sector.

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said universities must ensure that the growing number of students accessing higher education translates into better learning outcomes, warning that increased enrolment alone cannot be used to measure institutional success.

Ogamba made the remarks on Thursday, November 5, during the award of a charter to International Leadership University (ILU) by President William Ruto at State House, Nairobi, where he highlighted the growing contribution of private institutions to Kenya's higher education system.

The CS said private universities had helped bridge the gap in access to university education by providing additional opportunities for learners who wish to pursue degree programmes.

Kenya has 41 private universities with a combined student population of 153,199, representing 21.7 per cent of all university students in the country.

He observed that these institutions had also expanded the country's capacity for research, innovation and human capital development, making them important partners in the education sector.

However, he maintained that the growth of the sector must be supported by investments in teaching standards, academic resources and programmes that respond to the country's development needs.

"While the numbers are impressive, more students must also mean better education, not just more seats. We must not only ask ourselves how many students enter universities, but also focus on what they learn, what problems they can solve, what values they carry, and what they give back after graduation," Ogamba said.

He said maintaining the credibility of university education required strict quality checks to ensure that institutions offered qualifications that met the required standards.

Ogamba explained that universities must have effective management structures, qualified academic systems, sufficient resources and the institutional ability to deliver on their academic responsibilities before being recognised as fully established institutions.

He added that receiving a charter was an important confirmation that a university had undergone the required evaluation and fulfilled the legal conditions for recognition.

"Quality assurance is indispensable. It protects the value of honest degrees and protects public confidence in our education system. Today's charter tells every family that the International Leadership University has been through the process and has met the standards," he said.

The CS said the Ministry of Education would maintain consultations with universities and other education stakeholders to ensure that the expansion of higher education did not come at the expense of quality, accountability and academic integrity.

He also turned attention to the upcoming transition to Competency-Based Education, saying universities needed to start preparing for the changes before the first learners under the new curriculum join higher education institutions in 2029.

According to Ogamba, the new system will require universities to rethink how they design courses, deliver lessons and assess students, particularly as learners will arrive with different academic experiences and expectations.

The competency-based model places greater emphasis on practical application of knowledge rather than relying mainly on examinations and the ability to memorise academic content.

He said universities must be ready to nurture graduates with critical thinking abilities, creativity, teamwork and the capacity to apply their knowledge in addressing challenges within their communities and beyond.

To support the changes, Ogamba disclosed that the Commission for University Education (CUE), working alongside universities and other stakeholders, had developed a framework to guide the introduction of competency-based learning at university level.

The framework outlines requirements for curriculum development, classroom instruction, assessment, quality assurance and the recognition of learners' competencies.

He urged institutions to use the period before 2029 to strengthen their academic systems and put in place the necessary arrangements for the new generation of university students.

On International Leadership University, Ogamba said the institution's achievement reflected the contribution that sustained investment could make towards strengthening higher education in Kenya.

The university has academic programmes covering leadership, theology, counselling, business education and social sciences, areas that give it a distinct place in the country's university sector.

He congratulated the institution's sponsor, Board of Trustees, Council, management and the entire university fraternity for securing the charter.

Ogamba challenged the university to justify the recognition by maintaining strong academic standards, investing in research and delivering relevant programmes that produce graduates capable of contributing to Kenya's growth, as well as development across Africa and the world.