Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba has assured stakeholders that the government is committed to building a stable and consultative education sector, pledging timely implementation of agreements and enhanced dialogue to avert future disruptions.
Ogamba said the government is fast-tracking negotiations for upcoming Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) and strengthening monitoring systems to prevent a repeat of industrial disputes that have in recent years paralysed learning in public universities.
He reaffirmed that learning must remain uninterrupted, noting that the future of the country’s youth “cannot be put on trial all the time.”
Ogamba described the resolution that ended the 49-day lecturers’ strike on November 5 as a triumph of patriotism rather than capitulation.
“The resolution was not a surrender; it was a victory for patriotism. Dialogue prevailed. It was a commitment to restore trust,” he said Thursday when he presided over the University of Nairobi’s 74th graduation ceremony.
The CS announced that the government will honour its pledge to release the two outstanding tranches of the Sh7.9 billion owed to university staff within the current financial year.
“I want to assure every stakeholder that the government is committed to releasing the two tranches of the outstanding Sh7.9 billion as agreed,” he said.
Ogamba noted that universities had acted swiftly to reorganise their academic calendars and recover lost time following the strike, restoring normalcy in teaching, learning and research across the institutions.
Even as operational stability returns, the CS challenged universities to shift their focus towards strengthening the quality of instruction, curriculum implementation and research output.
He urged institutions to rigorously review and modernise their curricula to ensure graduates are globally competitive and aligned with emerging national priorities.
This, he said, is particularly urgent as the country prepares for the rollout of Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET), ahead of the first cohort of Competency-Based Education (CBE) students expected to join universities in 2029.
“To our universities: focus on the quality of teaching, learning and research. Implement your curricula efficiently and effectively to produce high-calibre graduates,” he said.
Addressing the thousands of graduands, Ogamba reminded them that the world they are entering prizes innovation, agility and problem-solving over theory alone.
He underscored that the government’s push for competency-based learning is anchored on the need to produce skilled citizens capable of translating knowledge into tangible value.
“Competency-Based Education is the philosophy that will power our national transformation. It is about creating job creators, not just job seekers. Your degree must now be translated into demonstrable value,” he told the graduands.
During the ceremony, the varsity conferred degrees and diplomas on 4,504 graduands, a milestone the institution described as a testament to its enduring academic excellence.
The cohort included 48 PhD recipients, 905 Master’s graduands, 3,416 Bachelor’s degree recipients, 16 postgraduate diploma holders, 13 fellowship awardees, and 98 diploma graduates.
Council Chair Crispus Nyaigotti urged the graduands to carry forward the university’s legacy with integrity and purpose, describing them as the institution’s newest ambassadors.
“To our graduands: you are the newest ambassadors of the University of Nairobi,” he said.
“You are graduating at a time when our country is undergoing major transformation, economically, technologically and institutionally.”
He encouraged them to embrace innovation, remain adaptable and use their skills to contribute meaningfully to Kenya’s ongoing reforms.
by FELIX KIPKEMOI
