- Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba urged 5,888 Kenyatta University graduates to pursue innovation, entrepreneurship and ethical leadership rather than rely solely on formal employment.
- The 59th graduation, themed “Innovating Education and Research for the Digital World,” produced 222 certificates and diplomas, 4,987 bachelor’s, 618 master’s and 61 PhD graduates.
- Ogamba linked the call to ongoing Competency-Based Education reforms and rising youth unemployment, while Acting Vice-Chancellor Prof. Waceke Wanjohi urged graduates to become university ambassadors.
Kenyatta University sent 5,888 graduates into the workforce at its 59th graduation ceremony, with Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba challenging them to become innovators, entrepreneurs and ethical leaders capable of creating jobs and solving Kenya’s socio-economic challenges rather than depending solely on formal employment.
Held under the theme “Innovating Education and Research for the Digital World,” the ceremony saw 222 students graduate with certificates and diplomas, 4,987 with bachelor’s degrees, 618 with master’s and postgraduate diplomas, and 61 with Doctor of Philosophy degrees.
Delivering his keynote address, Ogamba said the graduates were entering a rapidly changing world being reshaped by technological advancement, artificial intelligence, digital transformation and innovation, noting that employers are increasingly looking beyond academic certificates to practical competencies, creativity, adaptability and problem-solving abilities.
“The future belongs to those who can transform ideas into solutions and challenges into opportunities,” Ogamba told the graduates, urging them to embrace innovation and entrepreneurship as pathways to economic empowerment and to become agents of positive change within their communities and beyond.
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The Cabinet Secretary’s remarks come against a backdrop of rising youth unemployment despite Kenyan universities producing thousands of graduates every year, and his call for entrepreneurship and innovation reflects the Government’s growing emphasis on developing graduates who can become employers rather than job seekers.
Ogamba reiterated the Government’s commitment to strengthening higher education through policies promoting quality, relevance and innovation, pointing to ongoing reforms such as the implementation of Competency-Based Education (CBE), which are designed to ensure learners acquire practical skills, critical thinking, creativity, communication and collaboration competencies from the foundational levels through university. He said the reforms are intended to bridge the gap between classroom learning and labour market expectations while preparing graduates to thrive in an increasingly competitive global economy.
He further urged universities to keep reviewing their academic programmes to align them with emerging economic opportunities, technological advancements and industry demands, adding that stronger collaboration between universities, employers, research institutions and the private sector would enhance graduate employability and stimulate innovation-led economic growth.
Ogamba also challenged universities to strengthen research and innovation ecosystems capable of generating practical solutions to Kenya’s development challenges in sectors such as agriculture, health, manufacturing, education, climate resilience, renewable energy and digital technology, stressing that research should not remain confined within academic journals but should be translated into products, services and policies that improve people’s lives and stimulate economic development.
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While congratulating the graduates on their academic achievements, Ogamba reminded them that success extends beyond obtaining university qualifications, urging them to uphold integrity, professionalism, patriotism and accountability throughout their careers and describing ethical leadership as one of the most valuable attributes in today’s society. He also encouraged them to remain lifelong learners willing to continuously acquire new knowledge and skills as technology and the world of work continue evolving.
Acting Vice-Chancellor Prof. Waceke Wanjohi congratulated the graduates for completing a demanding academic journey, describing their achievement as a testament to determination, resilience, discipline and commitment to excellence, and noting that graduation represents not the end of learning but the beginning of a new chapter filled with opportunities, responsibilities and expectations.
Wanjohi said the university will continue strengthening its research and innovation agenda to contribute solutions to national and global challenges while producing graduates capable of competing successfully in regional and international markets.
By Hillary Muhalya
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