Education CS Ezekiel Machogu has encouraged universities to tailor-make their structures, processes and programs as they prepare to receive their first batch of CBC students in 2029.
In a speech delivered by Fredrick Ndambuki, Higher Education secretary administrative, the CS said learners will be enrolled in specialised fields in universities after pursuing different pathways in senior secondary schools.
“As we wait patiently for the report of the Taskforce formed by President William Ruto to evaluate CBC, I call upon the universities to put in place strategies to review the existing curriculum. We have to go back to the drawing board and revise what we are doing now,” Machogu said.
Ndambuki read the CS’s speech during Lukenya University’s fourth graduation ceremony at the institution’s main campus in Kibwezi, Makueni County on Friday.
358 graduands were conferred with certificates, diplomas and Undergraduate degrees during the ceremony.
“This calls for improved infrastructure development revised courses and staffing,” Machogu said.
The CS lauded Lukenya University’s management for what he referred to as a great residential university located outside of town with a serene environment for learning, training and research.
“I’m amazed by the infrastructure development of this university; state of the art library, multi-purpose hall and accommodation facilities for staff and students,” Mochogu said.
He said the university offers a number of market-driven programs from certificate to postgraduate levels which are relevant to the nation’s aspirations.
Machogu said the institution should find solutions for the food scarcity that the country is currently facing given that agriculture is the university’s flagship program
“I want to challenge you the Vice Chancellor and the entire university’s fraternity that you must come out strong on this key issue of food security. The best way to go is to be innovative. Do lots of research and come up with best solutions in terms of kind of crops that can be able to do better than what we currently have,” he said.
“Today, food matters are key and a priority to our new government, and therefore if we can take a niche in this particular aspect, then we can be competitive nationally and also within the region.”
Machogu said the university can make great contributions to that having well thought out this year’s graduation theme; re-engineering knowledge and skills for sustainable development.
He said the theme came at an opportune time when nations all over the world were struggling with the problem of youth unemployment.
“I believe that the theme implies that the university has prepared the graduands wholesomely with requisite skills, knowledge, and attitude to face and address life challenges, the ultimate moto being problem solvers,” he said.
The CS said the university had inculcated in the graduands entrepreneurial and technical skills that are required in the current job market.
He said the graduands were therefore required to use the set of qualities to not only improve lives as responsible citizens but also to improve others’ lives.
Machogu said as a ministry, they were firmly committed to ensuring that Kenya’s education remains competitive and perfectly aligned with national development goals and global commitments.
He said the Education ministry was working closely with various government agencies to ensure that universities are institutions of knowledge generation, research and service to the community.
“We as a ministry it is our policy to make education equitable, to have got a quality education and we are saying our education in Kenya must be globally competitive,” he said.
“And therefore we want to involve all to ensure that any graduate from any university both public and private remains relevant, competitive within the country, region and global markets,” Mochogu said.
Machogu said they were partnering with various nations across the world to be able to attract the resources required to improve universities.
Lukenya Board of Trustees chairperson Sylvia Kasanga said the institution had partnered with the Kenya Commercial Bank and KEFRI to plant one million trees.
Kasanga said they were committed to propagating and sealing up agroforestry on 10.6 acres of land.
The one million tree planting project was launched on Friday. 2200 trees were planted within the varsity’s compound.
She said the varsity’s School of Education was already CBC-aligned.
Kasanga said they were working towards the country’s sustainable development goals.
