Ruto Appoints James Mwangi as OUK Chancellor: Here’s Why
On Thursday, President William Ruto inaugurated the Open University of Kenya (OUK), the nation’s inaugural fully online university, with its headquarters situated in the Konza metropolis of Machakos County.
Addressing the event following the granting of the official Charter to the university funded by the government, Ruto expressed his satisfaction in witnessing a project he had envisioned during his tenure as the Minister of Higher Education finally become a reality.
“When I began this process when I was minister for Higher Education, I wanted to complete it within a year but I couldn’t because of the circumstances then and I am happy we made this a part of the Kenya Kwanza commitment,” said Ruto. “It is a very proud moment for me to see this coming to fruition.”
The leader of the country clarified the reasons behind his decision to designate James Mwangi, the CEO of Equity Group, as the Chancellor of the University.
He commended Mwangi for his unwavering commitment to promoting educational access through his Equity’s Wings To Fly scholarship program.
“I didn’t give you options to say No because I have seen your passion for education. I’m proud that we will be prouder of your stewardship as chancellor of the Open University of Kenya,” said Ruto.
“I was very specific when I told Education CS Ezekiel Machogu who the chancellor should be.”
Ruto characterized the virtual university as a transformative factor that will enable individuals who typically wouldn’t have the opportunity to attend a traditional university to receive an education even from extremely distant regions of the country.
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“Our entire university capacity, in 41 public and 37 private universities, admits 650,638 students in total and remains unable to keep up with the growing demand. Every year, therefore, many eligible and interested young people are unable to enroll for university courses,” he said.
President Ruto states that the establishment of a national open university is an initiative aimed at enhancing accessibility and lowering the expenses associated with higher education. The ultimate goal is to successfully implement his administration’s vision of achieving a complete transition to tertiary education for all.
He stated that more than 100 billion Kenyan shillings were used to construct the facility.
“The power generation facility alone is like Ksh.1.9 billion, together with all the other pieces of infrastructure that have gone here,” said the president.
Eliud Owalo, cabinet secretary for information, communication, and the digital economy, stated on Monday that the university is by the government’s goal of establishing a digital superhighway to facilitate the seamless delivery of its services.
It will facilitate digital skilling and training for Kenyans for them to attain optimal levels of ICT skills.
Bachelor of Cyber Security and Digital Forensics, Bachelor of Data Science, Bachelor of Technology Education, Bachelor of Science in Business and Entrepreneurship and Statistics, and Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and Food Systems will be among the courses offered by the virtual university.
“The University also offers postgraduate diplomas in Leadership and Accountability as well as Learning Design and Technology. I have been assured that in coming years, master’s and doctorate programs will be introduced,” President Ruto said Thursday.
Ruto Appoints James Mwangi as OUK Chancellor: Here’s Why
