Stop cannibalising middle-level colleges

Kenya: Unplanned expansion of university education in Kenya is threatening manpower development in the country.

 

The university craze is sweeping across the country, swallowing all reputable Colleges. Very few tertiary institutions have been spared of this intellectual cannibalism by the towers of knowledge.

As the degree mania spreads like bush fire, education policy makers and Labour experts are keeping studious silence. No one is asking whether we still need the critical middle level manpower.

In the past, middle level institutions were viable options for students seeking higher education. One could opt for Kenya Polytechnic, Mombasa Polytechnic or Eldoret Polytechnic to pursue engineering courses. The same applied to Kagumo, Siriba or Kenya Science for those keen on taking education courses instead of joining universities. What happened to the noble arrangement in the vital sector

I would like to salute the Kenya Technical Teachers College (KTTC) for refusing to either upgrade to a university status or collaborate. By sticking to its original mandate, KTTC has remained the institution for curriculum development for technical education. The college is relied on by all technical institutes and even universities for curriculum development. Does this ring a bell to policymakers and wananchi about the importance of middle-level colleges?

I call upon the regulator to enforce the regulations governing higher learning firmly in order to save tertiary institutions from imminent collapse. We must offer the youth a chance to pursue careers particularly those who fail to attain university entry grades.

The country should be spared the embarassment of hiring lower cadre staff from overseas.