Breaking the mould: CS Ogamba sends bold message to graduates amid unemployment crisis
By William Muthama, December 1, 2025Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has told graduates not to wait for employment but to create their own jobs.
Speaking at the 20th Graduation Ceremony of Eldoret Polytechnic, Ogamba challenged the graduating class of 2025 on Monday, December 1, 2025, to be entrepreneurs, innovators, and problem solvers, emphasising that Kenya needs the imagination, initiative, and drive of its young people to thrive in a competitive job market.
“Do not simply wait for employment; be entrepreneurs, innovators, and problem solvers. Kenya needs your imagination, your initiative, and your drive,” he said.
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Ogamba said TVET institutions remain central to Kenya’s economic growth, providing the skilled manpower needed in infrastructure, technology, and emerging industries.
“We are accelerating job creation in key sectors such as affordable housing, manufacturing, the digital economy, and the creative industries, and TVETs stand at the centre because they are the primary pipeline for trained manpower,” he said.
Strengthening Institutions
The CS also urged all vocational training institutions in the country to keep repositioning themselves to deliver quality and relevant training.
He has told institutions to strengthen partnerships with industries, update equipment, and ensure that curricula equip students with skills that are immediately applicable in the workplace.
“Let us continue building a nation where every young person has a skill, every skill creates value, and every dream has a chance,” he said, highlighting the need for practical, hands-on education.
Ogamba noted that support through the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB), including capitation, scholarships, and loans, remains essential to ensure that no talented youth is excluded from TVET programs due to financial constraints. This support, he said, is a deliberate and strategic investment in Kenya’s workforce.
The announcement comes almost a year after the government revised TVET curricula under the Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET) system, designed to match industry demands.
The Ogamba remarks come as Kenya continues to struggle with high unemployment among youth and graduates.