Varsities stretched as free learning flourishes

By James Ratemo

A crisis beckons in higher education unless the increased enrolment in primary and secondary education is matched with expansion of universities.

A new report commissioned by Ministry of Higher Education with the support of World Bank shows that higher education sector is critically under financed and riddled with inequalities.

"There is failure to recognise the need for the selective support of research and for the production of many more university academic staff at PhD level...postgraduate enrolment in public universities is unacceptably low at 10 per cent of the student population," it reads in part.

The report, "Financing University Education in Kenya," warned of a looming crisis because university education is expensive to the Government and was not sustainable with the current resources.

"Universities will, therefore, have to reduce their dependence on the Government and diversify their sources of income as well as ensure more efficient and cost effective use of institutional resources," says the report.

To survive, the study says, universities will be required to establish sound financial management systems to ensure efficiency in use of resources and boost revenues from private and non-governmental sources.

Poorly equipped

The report also raised concerns that quality of higher education is dwindling due to rapid expansion and stagnated human resource development. It adds that a weak Commission of Higher Education had failed to curb the falling standards.

Maseno University Vice-Chancellor Fredrick Onyango claimed the commission is poorly equipped to oversee and regulate quality of education in universities citing poorly trained and ill-equipped personnel as opposed to highly qualified university staff they are supposed to supervise

However, the Ministry of Higher Education drafted a new Universities Bill to transform the commission into a strong and effective institution.

"The new agency will supervise both public and private universities equally...I expect the Bill to be enacted as soon as possible," said Higher Education Minister Sally Kosgey in a speech recently.

Higher Education PS Crispus Kiamba said despite polytechnics and other middle-level institutions being elevated to university status they will still offer diploma and certificate courses for the much-needed technical personnel.