Secretary to the Cabinet, Mercy Wanjau has officially
launched the Re-Imagine Education 2025 initiative at the African Leadership
University (ALU) conference.
The initiative seeks to transform education systems to align with evolving workforce demands.
In her remarks, Wanjau emphasised the urgent need to rethink Kenya’s education framework to meet the demands of the 21st-century economy.
She highlighted that many African youths, despite holding
the necessary academic qualifications, are often forced into entrepreneurship
or informal employment due to limited job opportunities.
"Ancient Rome trained its youth to fit the purpose of the community. Similarly, we must redesign our education system to ensure our young people are well-prepared for modern challenges," she said.
Wanjau pointed out that the government's Open University initiative is one of the transformative reforms aimed at enhancing access to education and empowering Kenyan youth.
However, she stressed the need to address gaps in technology access to ensure young people thrive in a rapidly changing business landscape.
Dr. Milton Njuki, Deputy Director at the Ministry of Education’s State Department for Higher Education, reiterated the importance of strategic human capital development as outlined in the 2020 Declaration on Higher Education.
He emphasised that universities are increasingly evolving into research hubs and called for prolonged internship programmes to enhance undergraduate skills and improve retention in the workplace.
"The future of education lies in practical learning. Universities must focus on equipping students with hands-on experience through internship programmes and partnerships with the private sector," said Njuki.
Re-Imagine Education 2025 aims to address critical issues such as aligning curriculum with career aspirations, responding to employer needs, and fostering collaboration between public and private sectors to create a future-ready workforce.
The meeting brought together education leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders.
The event concluded with a call to assess the progress of ongoing education reforms and ensure they meet the needs of the youth and society at large.