Kenyans are in doubt keen on high education as evidenced by many packed lecture halls in the evenings, weekends and also in the online classroom sessions across the country. This is because many Kenyans have harboured dreams of attaining higher education but such dreams may have been affected by the grades obtained at form four, limited personal financial capabilities, time and also age. Many Kenyans need that university degree or diploma for promotion purposes and hence the proposed establishment of the Open University of Kenya (OUK) is a welcome relief for such Kenyans. The National Assembly has approved the preliminary charter for the Open University of Kenya (OUK), paving the way for the admission of the initial cohort of 7,100 distance e-learners. The Technical Committee on the Establishment of the Open University of Kenya noted that the identified programmes at the Open University of Kenya propose a fee range of between Sh10,400 and Sh10,900 per module, based on the principle of affordability and in comparison, with other open distance learning institutions.
There are over 36 open universities in the world and their benefits could be summed into six major reasons. One of the reasons is that studying in an open university may be the best option if you have the care of family, dependents and aged parents, which may either have derailed the availability of time or where you have exhausted your resources because of such care. The courses in an open university are priced in an affordable manner and as such, persons who have not had a chance because of too much care for the family or other relatives, or what has been called black tax, are able to join a university for a course of their choice. Secondly, open university is good for persons who entertain the thought of learning from any location. Thirdly, it is ideal for students who did not get the grades for university admission or for courses desired and hence study as mature students.
Fourthly, it is ideal for persons who work full time who may not be able to load themselves with the need to attend part time or physical classes. Fifth, it is suited for persons who enjoy autonomous study without too much support; and sixth, it is ideal for persons who want to advance their careers or switch them, but they don’t meet the standards for the regular university they would have wanted to attend. Dr Giti is an urban management, public – private partnerships (PPP) and environment specialist. mutegigiti@gmail.com , @danielgiti
Dr. Daniel Mutegi Giti 