The Open University of Kenya (OUK), which President William Ruto described as Mama Mboga University, the country’s first Virtual university, has announced the introduction of 20 new courses for the 2024/2025 academic year.
On August 3, 2023, President Ruto awarded the University a charter and described it as an institution dedicated to serving ordinary people.
He emphasized that the University would provide higher education opportunities to individuals such as market vendors and matatu drivers.
“This is the university of herdsmen, farmers, mama mboga, matatu driver, bodaboda, watchman, domestic employee as well as trained professionals and graduates. Nothing says ‘bottom-up’ better than The Open University of Kenya; it is, indeed, the People’s University,” Ruto said.
OUK Acting Vice Chancellor Professor Elijah Omwenga on July 26 stated that the university must expand by the introduction new courses. So far only 1,400 students have been enrolled in the University.
“We developed and submitted for consideration an additional 20 programmes and these programmes are informed by the needs that we have established out there,” Prof. Omwenga said.
He further noted that the limited number of students enrolled in the university is due to the few programs currently offered.
News Courses to Be Offered in Open University
The university will be introducing several bachelor’s programs, including Bachelor of Commerce and Management, Economics and Data Science, and Mathematics and Computational Analytics.
Other new degree programs will be Bachelor of Computer Science, Bachelor of Nursing, Bachelor of Interactive Media, and Bachelor of Education in Mathematics and Computational Statistics.
Additionally, the university plans to offer master’s programs in Commerce and Business Administration, Educational Leadership, and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
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Additional master’s programs will include Learning Design and Technology, Data Science, Technology Education, Cyber Security and Data Forensics, and Digital Services Management.
The university will also offer three postgraduate programs in Commerce and Management, Education Leadership and Policy, and Technology Education.
Omwenga announced that these courses will be available starting in September this year, with the latest availability in November.
Currently, OUK offers programs such as Bachelor of Data Science, Bachelor of Science in Cyber Security and Digital Forensics, and Bachelor of Economics and Statistics.
Other degree programs include Bachelor of Technology Education, Bachelor of Business and Entrepreneurship, as well as postgraduate programs in Leadership and Accountability, and Learning Design and Technology.
At OUK, upon admission, students pay a quarter of the semester’s fees upfront and can pay the remaining balance in small installments.
The university has adopted a self-paced learning system, moving away from the traditional semester and trimester systems used by other universities. This new approach allows students to learn at their own pace, accommodating their personal schedules and financial capabilities.
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Qualifications for One to be Enrolled in OUK
To be eligible for undergraduate programs at the Virtual University, applicants should meet one of the following criteria:
- Have a mean grade of C+ and above in KCSE or its equivalent.
- Hold a Diploma or professional qualification from recognized institutions.
The university also makes provisions for special groups who do not meet the above qualifications.
Applicants can be admitted with a KCSE certificate or equivalent, along with a foundational certificate or bridging course from recognized institutions.
Additionally, holding a Kenya Advanced Certificate of Education with a minimum of one principal and a subsidiary pass qualifies an applicant for admission.
For those determined to learn, evidence of a KCSE certificate or equivalent, along with a portfolio for recognition of prior learning, is required. This should include:
- Two years of work experience in a relevant field.
- Two short courses lasting at least three months each in relevant fields.
- Any other qualifications determined by the Senate that recognize prior learning equivalent to the identified criteria, experience, and skills of the learner.
- Bachelors’ Degree from an Institution recognized by the Senate.
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