College of Education and External Studies is a key player in training of teachers and other human resource who manage and ensure successful performance within the Education Sector. The College has 1 School; the School of Education; which comprises of five administrative units namely:
- The office of the Dean, and four teaching departments:
- Department of Educational Administration and Planning
- Department of Educational Communication and Technology
- Department of Educational Foundations
- Department of Physical Education and Sport
Historical Setting:
1953: Department of Extra Mural Studies (DEMS) of Makerere University established in Kenya at Koibatek in Baringo County.
1956: First Resident Tutor for Kenya appointed (Okot p’Bitek).
1963: Organization of Extra Mural activities transferred to Kenya under a newly established DEMS at Royal Technical College Nairobi.
1963: College of Social Studies at Kikuyu absorbed into Royal Technical College Nairobi and merges with DEMS to form Institute of Adult Studies (IAS).
1966: BEd Arts programme developed and launched at Royal Technical College Nairobi.
1967: IAS merges with Correspondence Course Unit (CCU) to give 3 departments: DEMS, Adult Studies, and CCU
1972: Faculty of Education established at Main Campus with assistance from UNESCO.
1972: BEd Arts programme transferred to the new Faculty of Education in the present Education Building.
1978: Faculty of Education transferred to Kenyatta University College, the first Constituent College of the University of Nairobi.
1983: IAS accorded College status and is renamed College of Adult and Distance Education (CADE).
1983: CADE restructured to create 2 faculties:
- Faculty of External Studies
- Faculty of Social Sciences
1985: Kenyatta University College receives its Charter and becomes a full-fledged University, KU. A Teacher training hiatus is created at UoN.
1988: Faculty of Education is revived under CADE.
1988: CADE restructured and Faculty of Social Sciences dissolved to leave two Faculties:
- Faculty of Education
- Faculty of External Studies
1988: College renamed: “College of Education and External Studies, CEES.”
2005: CEES restructured to create 2 Schools
- School of Education.
- School of Continuing and Distance Education.
2005: Centre for Open and Distance (CODL), established as part of CEES.
2007: Kenya Science Teachers College is handed over and becomes a campus of the University of Nairobi.
2008: Kenya Science Teachers College renamed “Kenya Science Campus”
2015: Centre for Pedagogy and Andragogy established as a unit under CEES.
2016: CEES is restructured to create ODeL Campus.
2017: ODeL Campus is operationalized. The entire School of Continuing and Distance Education and CODL ceded to ODeL Campus, along with their staff, offices and Extra Mural Centers (EMCs).