Scholars decry challenges to education

Kuppet Secretary General Akello Misori, Daystar Vice Chancellor Laban Ayiro, Commission for University Education CEO Mwenda Ntarangwi, Tangaza University College lecturer Lucy Wakiaga, Helb CEO Charles Ringera and Uasu Secretary General Constantine Wasonga during the Transform Kenya forum at Daystar University, Nairobi, on Thursday. [Beverlyne Musili, Standard]

Political interference, commercialisation of education, inadequate training facilities and lack of support by corporates in training students have compromised the quality of education, experts have said.

Speaking during the Transform Kenya Forum at Daystar University on Thursday evening, education stakeholders said qualified graduate employees are as a result of a concerted efforts to train them by players in the education and employment sectors. Daystar University Vice Chancellor Laban Ayiro said it was saddening that some engineering graduates who have studied in Kenya especially in public institutions were unable to deliver.

“We are busy creating inequality. Kenyans are rejecting public universities for the private ones,” said Prof Ayiro.

He blamed political interference in management of universities for declining education standards. “Siasa mbaya maisha mbaya. (Bad politics leads to bad life). We must have values in the political system. Give a child of the poor a chance to walk out of a gutter too,” said Ayiro as he called for adequate funding of universities.

Standard Group CEO Orlando Lyomu said Transform Kenya has created an opportunity for stakeholders to deliberate on issues affecting the nation and policies.

He said focus in education should be more about churning out skilled personnel and not just graduates. Prof Jalango Akello, a senior lecturer of science and technology, stole the show with ‘tell it as it is’ approach saying there was need to address the bottlenecks that are preventing Kenya from reaching its potential like Singapore that were once at par with her. He said universities lost focus when they stopped focusing on their niche and allowed other courses for commercial purposes.