The government aims to grow the number of students enrolled in the Open University of Kenya (OUK) from the current 3,500 students to over 50,000 learners by the end of 2026.
The University which received its charter in August 2023 specifically offers quality and accredited distance and E-learning programs to students at a subsidised cost.
The University has so far reduced the cost of programs to students by up to 30 per cent and is expected to enable learners from less privileged backgrounds to access quality higher education.
According to the CS, Ministry of Education Julius Migos Ogamba, the ambitious plan will be achieved by offering flexible online and digitised learning from the comfort of a learner.
Ogamba said the government seeks to harness the capacity of online learning offered fully by the University to address the current financial challenges facing universities.
Ogamba said that by enrolling more students at the Open University of Kenya, the government seeks to ensure that universities become more financially sustainable independent of National Treasury funding.
The plan will be achieved as the University only offers its programs online and therefore no common user facilities and infrastructure are needed by the institution to facilitate the students.
The CS added that the students unable to meet the high cost of programs at the main universities will benefit mainly from the initiative.
“I have tasked the Open University of Kenya to grow the number of students from the current 3,500 to 10,000 by the end of the year and hit 50,000 by 2026”, said Ogamba.
Speaking in Naivasha during the University Council meeting, the CS reiterated government support to universities which are currently facing mounting financial challenges and accumulating debts.
He added that the government is revamping higher education through enhanced policies to achieve much-needed good governance and better resource utilisation.
Consequently, the CS said the government also aims to enroll two million students in the Technical and Vocational Educational Training Institutions (TVETs) by the end of this year.
He said the number of students has increased from 375,000 students at the end of 2024 to 700,000 by the end of May this year through a well-thought-out approach for hands-on skills.
Ogamba said out of over 900,000 students who completed their Secondary School Education, only 25 per cent chose University programs leaving 75 per cent of learners available for technical skills training at the local TVETs.
On his part, the University Council Chair Prof Ezra Maritim said they aim to achieve the 50,000 students’ enrollment through offering market-driven programmes.
Maritime said the move to attract more students to the University will help to lower the high cost of programs by addressing the operational cost per student.
In addition, the chair said the university is partnering with global universities and leaders in virtual learning to curate market and technology-driven programs aimed at equipping its students with much-needed skills.
A recent report from Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang’o has disclosed that public universities and national polytechnics in Kenya are grappling with a significant debt burden amounting to Sh67.81 billion.
The data highlights a growing crisis, with some of the country’s top universities facing potential collapse due to prolonged financial mismanagement and insufficient funding.
Among the most heavily indebted institutions are Kenyatta University, which owes Sh12.38 billion; the University of Nairobi, with liabilities totaling Sh12.22 billion and Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, carrying a debt of Sh9.13 billion.
These financial obligations are primarily owed to contractors, statutory bodies like the Kenya Revenue Authority and the National Social Security Fund, pension schemes, and suppliers.
The delays in settling these bills have disrupted daily operations and led to recurrent labour disputes with the institution’s employees.
By Erastus Gichohi
