Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba challenged fresh graduates to shift their mindset from job-seeking to opportunity creation during a graduation ceremony at the Co-operative University of Kenya on Saturday. The CS told over 2,800 graduates that waiting for white-collar employment is no longer practical in the current economic reality.
“I want to challenge graduates to create opportunities. Create jobs for yourselves. Do not wait for employment; be the problem solvers,” Professor Ogamba told the cheering audience at the university’s Karen campus. He emphasised that Kenya needs innovators who turn ideas into businesses instead of adding to the growing list of unemployed degree holders.
The Education CS Julius Ogamba’s speech comes at a time when youth unemployment stands at nearly 40 per cent, according to the latest Kenya National Bureau of Statistics data. Many graduates have been stuck with their certificates for years while sending hundreds of job applications that rarely receive responses.
Professor Ogamba highlighted government initiatives such as the Hustler Fund, KICC startup incubation hubs, and the revised university funding model that now includes entrepreneurship training as deliberate efforts to support self-employment. “We have put money and training facilities in place. What we need now are young people bold enough to take the first step,” he said.
Co-operative University Vice-Chancellor Professor Kamau Ngamau praised the CS for walking the talk by ensuring the new competency-based curriculum heavily incorporates practical skills. Several graduates who spoke to journalists after the ceremony said the message resonated deeply. “I studied actuarial science, but I am now planning to start a poultry business in Kitengela with three colleagues,” said 24-year-old Mercy Chepkorir.
The CS also announced that the Ministry will roll out a national graduate mentorship programme early next year, linking top-performing final-year students with established entrepreneurs in their fields. The initiative will see at least 50,000 students placed in real businesses for six months before graduation.
Several university administrators present noted that the Education CS Julius Ogamba call aligns with global trends where countries like Rwanda and Estonia have successfully reduced youth unemployment through aggressive entrepreneurship education. Kenya currently ranks low in startup creation compared to regional peers despite having one of the highest numbers of university graduates annually.
Parents who attended the ceremony gave mixed reactions. While many applauded the practical advice, others expressed concern that the job-creation message might be interpreted as the government admitting failure to absorb graduates into public service. “We paid fees expecting our children to get good jobs, not to struggle starting businesses,” said one mother from Nyeri.
The Co-operative University itself showcased success stories during the event, with four former students who started a sacco management software company now employing 42 people and serving over 300 saccos countrywide. Their story received thunderous applause when they were invited on stage to receive special recognition.
As the Education CS Julius Ogamba left the podium, he urged the Class of 2025 to remember that every major company in Kenya today started as someone’s small idea. “Safaricom was once just a dream. Naivas began as a tiny shop in Rongai. Be the next success story that your children will read about,” he concluded.
The graduation ceremony also saw the launch of the university’s Sh100 million innovation hub funded jointly by the government and cooperative movement. The facility will offer free office space, internet, and mentorship to student startups for the first two years after graduation.
With thousands of students set to graduate from public and private universities this December, the Education CS Julius Ogamba’s message is expected to dominate career talks during the holiday season. Career counsellors say the shift from a job-seeking to a job-creation mindset, if embraced, could significantly reduce youth unemployment numbers by the end of the decade.
