President William Ruto has called on Kenyan universities to strengthen ties with the private sector to commercialise innovations and develop market-driven academic programmes.
Speaking at State House, Nairobi, on Wednesday during the awarding of a charter to Riara University, Ruto stressed the need for universities to offer skills-based training and leverage technology to enhance learning in order to remain competitive in the global landscape.
“Across the world, institutions of higher learning are moving towards an entrepreneurial culture, integrating research, innovation, and enterprise into their core functions,” said Ruto.
“Kenya is embracing this model through the Kenya Network of Entrepreneurial Universities, which currently has 14 member institutions, including three private universities, among them Riara University,” he added
Founded in 2012 by veteran educationists Daniel Gachukia and his wife Prof. Eddah Gachukia, Riara University, based in Konza, Machakos County, becomes Kenya’s 69th fully chartered university out of 75 in operation.
President Ruto honoured the Gachukias with the Order of the Elder of the Burning Spear (EBS) for their contributions to Kenya’s education sector.
Prof. Gachukia described the charter award as a “dream come true, a vision actualised.”
President Ruto said the government has increased funding to the education sector this financial year to Ksh650 billion, underscoring the government’s commitment to expanding access to education opportunities for all Kenyans.
He said the Higher Education Loans Board has so far disbursed KSh36.6 billion in tuition and upkeep loans to 418, 729 students in universities and 233, 540 trainees in Technical, Vocational, and Training colleges.
The President emphasised that the new student-centred University Funding Model has saved public universities from the brink of insolvency.
“I am particularly pleased to report that both Moi University and Technical University of Kenya are now on the path to financial recovery,” he said.
He pointed out that the government has put in place measures to ensure a smooth transition from Junior School to Senior next year by building 17,000 new classrooms across the country.
Further, he said the government has employed 76,000 teachers on permanent and pensionable terms in an effort to alleviate teacher shortage in schools.
President Ruto urged Riara University to take advantage of the opportunities at Konza Technopolis, Kenya’s Silicon Savannah.
“Be bold, be different, and pioneer innovative training and research programmes to tackle Kenya and Africa’s greatest challenges,” he said.
Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, who attended the event, called on Kenyan youth to look beyond the government for employment opportunities.
“The private sector needs to be expanded so that it can absorb most of the young people graduating from institutions of higher learning,” he said.
Others in attendance were Education Cabinet Secretary Migos Ogamba, Chairman of the Commission for University Education Chacha Nyaigoti Chacha and Riara University Chancellor Chris Kiboro.
