University students must wake up and smell the coffee - crawl from ignorance

You and I riding on the crest of a wave with the dulcet tones of the holidays must have realised that our universities are broke and cash-strapped to the core and facing the most distressing financial crisis in the recent past. Again, if you've been evangelistic enough, most of our public universities are at the verge of selling or the de-establishing majority of their satellite campuses. If you've been keen yet there have been palpable delays in payment of workers and suppliers to the universities. I don't want to bore you with unceasing case studies, but it's been evident as day and night that something has been grossly going wrong at our incomprehension.For much of my times weighing into this crisis, I've always blamed the universities for either misuse of funds or being mean bearing in mind all registered students always clear their fees. Fellow countrymen, it's more than meets the eye. The universities are not solely to be blamed for this. The blame is shared equally among students, the government and the universities. I will do ample dissection in this article, but apparently, it's inaction and apathy that leads to problems growing into crises beyond control and containment.THE GOVERNMENTThe government has been playing a pivotal role in subsidising university fees for students who otherwise are brilliant but unable to raise fees due to poor backgrounds. For starters, the average fees were last reviewed in 1989 and were set to Sh16,000 when the total cost of training was set at approximately Sh89,000. Since then the government has been channeling a budget of almost Sh39 billion to universities until this financial year when the capitation granted to the universities was cut by 4 billion. Don't forget that module 2 intake famously called the parallel program was thrown into the abyss from 2016 with the advent of new exam regulations leading to a deficit of around 90,000 students compared to previous years. Identical students have been a remarkable source of alternative funding to universities, and this has reduced their income generation.The government, as if to try killing centres for top elites that is the universities, has canalised most of its fundings to vocational training institutes and the National Youth Service (NYS). Who amongst us is unenlightened about the looting at the NYS? Oh very well, I don't know! It is, however, essential to take stock of possible negative scenarios and the unanticipated consequences and dangers ahead before okaying some decisions. For universities we can foretell their next line of action- undoubtedly increasing fees. In November 3rd during a press conference, CS Education Ambassador Amina Mohamed advised the university vice-chancellors to look for alternative ways of generating money. This wasn't taken kindly by the vice chancellors. There's hardly any scope of conspiracy theories that can explain what's happening around. It is not lame to say we are unwittingly going to hell in a handcart. It's even more bemusing how the government has enabled loans from HELB to even students whom their parents in a show of how fat their wallets are, have taken them to private institutions. Ever wondered how a parent can make their sons or daughters to private institutions then the government goes after them with loans instead of increasing loans to the public university students? It's time the government gave more support to the public universities because these students are the future of this country.STUDENT LEADERSHIPStudent leadership of the times is to blame for their daylight apathy, money hungry and power hungry mentality that has deeply crippled its vibrancy. Gone are the days when student leaders could rise and raise alarms on impending plans bearing effects to the general student's body. Gone are the days of vibrant unions. Sadly gone! It's both mind-numbingly boring and stressful never to foresee a different future. It's undeniable that student leadership of the past veered wildly, but one of the few landmarks they had was the passion for serving the interest of students. What we have today is an ignorant lot whose hunger for money subordinates interest of their constituents. They have shirked even their fundamental role of voicing the concerns of students.The question I ask the student associations in this country with much heaviness of heart is whether they are aware of the bill already in Parliament to increase university fees from the average of Sh16,000 to Sh48,000. And any action they have taken to send a message to the government on their dissatisfaction with the increment. Whether elected through boardroom via the infamous Duale law of 2016 or not is not an excuse. Remember as student leaders, you are being molded to take over the leadership of this country, and regardless of the system used to elect you into positions, you'll have to sweat it out here with veterans. So, read between the lines. It is time you rise above ignorance and lethargy and to embrace the faith and pragmatism which are the most crucial ingredients.The Bill that is already in Parliament was proposed by university vice-chancellors to allow them to get more money to run their activities. It's seeking to increase fees, and if passed, all students in public universities will have to pay a three-fold. That's a plan that is not only wrong but also dangerous and needs repudiation. This is the time vice chancellors need you most as they pick a desperate measure to get funds. A move was likely to lock out poor students from accessing university education. But you, student leaders have the loudest voice, and the government can listen to you more than anybody else yet you are disinterested in this struggle. Most of you are unaware of this looming disaster because you are too busy to go through newspapers or be updated. To those student leaders who are dedicated and have the zeal, zest and urge to serve their people honestly, your victory is around the corner. After reading this article, act! And send an alarm call to those still swallowed in profound ignorance and dreamless slumber to smell the coffee.UNIVERSITIESMost universities have been characterised by mismanagement of funds fueling the spontaneous financial crisis in the country. They, therefore, should not hide in the smokescreen of this misfortune. Some universities in this country have also been intimidating and to say the least, mastered the art of threats to the student leaders. This has made most student leaders live in fear of suspension or expulsion or being ripped off material benefits. University management must for once agree that they have created a hatching ground for useless and apathetic leaders who have not even a smidge of strength to help them at a time of need. It's time for universities to change the narrative, provide a favorable environment that harbour growth of visionary student leadership for this is the only trajectory to getting a solution.Last of all and summarily, I want to send a clarion message to my dear comrades that if no swift action is taken, then they must brace for increased fees in as much as the fees paid now is already a load heavily weighing on them. This 'handshake' government is the best bet to confront with your displeasure. We should collaborate with the vice chancellors instead of hurling barbs at them so that both of us win this.Again, if fees are increased and no HELB counter increase realised, then we must gear up to leaving the university education to the tip tops in our midst. It's however not an immutable situation, and we can hold prayer vigils to have the bill not passed and pray that we, students and our student leaders will crawl from numbness to action-orientation and responsiveness. While at it, we must be supremely resilient and only determined in the struggle. And with that, we shall rise again just like dust in Maya Angelou's poem, "still I rise."The writer is a student leader at Kenyatta University Students Association (KUSA), A student pursuing BSc Nursing and Public Health, and, a Current Affairs Commentator.

University students must wake up and smell the coffee - crawl from ignorance

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University students must wake up and smell the coffee - crawl from ignorance

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