Kisii University to close five campuses

Kisii University has announced closure of five of its satellite campus flowing recommendations by Commission of University of Education (CUE) and the Advisory Committee of the Eminent Persons (ACEP).

In a newspaper advert appearing in  dailies, the University announced that the five campuses will be closed beginning January 2016 a move that has sent panic among several University workers who had been deployed to the satellite campuses.

A statement from the University said that the decision is contained in Campuses' Roadmap and the Campus Exit Strategy a process that had been initiated by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.

The campuses to be closed include; Ogembo, Nyamira, Keroka, Isebania, Kehancha with students from the affected campuses advised to join other Campuses including; Kericho, Kitale, Nairobi Kapenguria and Eldoret among others.

The move is likely to affect over 3000 students in the said campuses that are set for closure. Students in Kehancha campus, mostly from the Kuria Community had protested the move saying the decision could affect their learning programs since majority of them have been commuting from their rural homes for classes.

"The members of Staff working in the closed Campuses will receive further communication on the way forward," read part of the advert.

Several staff members from the affected Campuses who spoke to the Standard about the of fear losing their jobs.

A staff from Kehancha campus who sought anonymity said that it could be difficult for the University to absorb them in other campuses.

"Already the University has employed staff in other campuses, maybe the University will have to relook at the qualification of the affected staff before carrying out redeployment," she said.

Kisii University has experienced steady growth in its student population, a figure that is currently estimated at slightly above 10,000. Several parents will be forced to work extra hard to raise funds for accommodation.

Early this year CUE had ordered the closure of 10 out of 13 Kisii University campuses in the western, Nyanza and Rift Valley regions.

The CUE said that it expected to re-inspect the campuses that had been ordered for closure to determine process of the recommendations.

The order to close the campuses was based on cue's findings that touched on their proximity to distractive establishments like bars and brothels.

Learning impediments such as noise from markets and factors injurious to students' health like was also put into consideration in the closure report.

It had only cleared 11 campuses of four private universities and 18 campuses of the seven public universities for operation.

Last week, Kisii University closed indefinitely following two days of students' unrest that led to the torching of the University's fee collection office.