Kenyan universities have lost the edge

Moi University Main Campus where local leaders protested the announcement of Prof Laban Ayiro as acting Vice Chancellor (VC) following the exit of Prof. Richard Mibey. PHOTO: FILE

NAIROBI: The role of universities in African social and economic development cannot be refuted. Their most explicit role is to equip individuals with high level skills for the job market. Consequently, quality university education is imperative. However, the traditional university’s roles are constantly being challenged.

The word university comes from the Latin word “universitas” which means “the whole’. This signals the role of universities in promoting balanced knowledge in everything. University education helps students to distill all that is best in human potential. The graduates use their skills to catalyse social improvement.