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Facts about the National Open University of Kenya

 National Open University of Kenya set to operationalize as from September 2023 will be a game changer in the history of Kenya's higher education.

President William Ruto in his Madaraka Day speech stated that the open university was to receive a charter at the course of June 2023.

The President reiterated his desire to make university education "more affordable, more accessible and attainable.

The Open University of Kenya is meant to provide distance learning. Potential students will be able to apply for academic progams from the comfort of their locality. 

8 Programs offered by National Open University of Kenya

Courses to be offered are of strategic importance to the country. The virtual university will offer both degrees and diplomas in:

  • Data Science

  • Cyber Security and Digital forensics

  • Technology Education

  • Business and Entrepreneurship

  • Statistics 

  • Economics

  • Food Systems 

  • Agricultural technology

Open University of Kenya will also offer diploma in Leadership Management.

Aims of the National Open University of Kenya

  • The primary goal of the virtual university is the address the issue of the increased cost of attaining varsity education in Kenya.

  • The use of modern technology to ease the pressure exerted on physical facilities in universities.

  • To eliminate the rigidity on the need to attend classes at fixed places within a specified timeframe.

Plans of establishing the Virtual University

President Uhuru Kenyatta's cabinet under the auspices of the then education cabinet secretary Dr Fred Matiang'i ratified a proposal to establish a National Open University in August 2016.

Since 2016, the virtual university is still a mirage.

October 2022, President William Ruto, who succeeded Uhuru, appointed Ezra Maritim to oversee plans to establish a virtual campus.

On his first Madaraka Day address in June 2021, he promised Kenyans that Open University of Kenya would receive a charter at the course of that month.

How Kenya has expanded University admissions

The government of Kenya, during Uhuru Kenyatta's era, lowered University entry grade from B to C+. Previously C+ students were admitted as self-sponsored and was a preserve of the esoteric few who could afford the collosal fees demanded for admission on parallel basis.

Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Services (KUCCPS) allowed private universities to admit government sponsored students when the grade was drastically lowered to accomodate students, who would otherwise have been admitted on module II basis.

Popular Universities offering Online Programs

Online Distance E-learning services (ODEL) have been adopted by most universities in Kenya. 

However, only two universities have a variety of courses that are anchored on virtual system.

The two universities are:

  1. Kenyatta University: Bachelor of Security Management, Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Education (Arts), Bachelor of Education (Science) and Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Development).

  2. Daystar University: BA(Biblical and Religious Studies), BA(Communication), BA(Community Development), BA(English), BA (Journalism), BA(Peace and Conflict Resolution), BA(Psychology) and Bachelor of Business Information Technology.








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