First Open University set up in Kenya

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Thursday, August 3, 2023 –The first open university in Kenya has been started years after previous regimes failed to fulfill the recommendation due to what they said was lack of enough funds.

On Thursday August 3, President William Ruto awarded a charter to the Open University of Kenya OuK which is based at Konza Technology City, Machakos County.

On doing that, President Ruto appointed Equity Group CEO James Mwangi to be its Chancellor.

“The Open University of Kenya sets a unique path to affordable, inclusive and equitable education.

“The first virtual public university in the country — that will expand university capacity and build a formidable stock of skills and expertise for our market and beyond,” Ruto announced.

Addressing in the event, the head of State added that this demand-driven education will support the surging demand for quality higher education which will churn out qualified and competent graduates who will power his bottom-up economic plan.

This means the new university will focus on offering education to those individuals who may not be able to attend physical lessons in a classroom for a reason or the other.

It will be delivering courses exclusively online through what has been referred to as ‘distance learning’.

Anyone from around the world will have to access its learning courses through virtual means as books and lessons will be available online.

OuK is coming into full operation following the passage of a Draft Charter for Establishment of the open learning school in Kenya.

Presidential Working Party on Education Reform Committee led by Prof Raphael Munavu had also recommended the setting up of this online school.

It is well described in the University Act of 2012 that allows setting up of a specialised learning institution with e-learning model.

This is the Kenyan version of University of the People UoPeople located in the United States of America USA.