CS Jacob Kaimenyi chairs crisis talks over rising unrest in universities

FROM LEFT: Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi, Science and Technology Principal Secretary Colleta Suda and Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang at Wednesday’s meeting. [PHOTO: MBUGUA KIBERA/STANDARD]

NAIROBI, KENYA: Alarmed by the wave of unrest that has rocked public universities in recent weeks, the Government has convened crisis talks with managers of the institutions.

Wednesday, Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi met the management staff of universities where participants identified the causes of the unrest and possible ways of forestalling conflict.

At least seven public universities have witnessed violent protests by students that have resulted in destruction of property.

University of Nairobi, Kenyatta University, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Technical University of Mombasa, Dedan Kimathi University, Meru University and Karatina University are among those that have been hit by strikes.

Six universities remain shut after rioting students clashed with policemen. Often, the battles spill over to the streets, where motorists and businesses caught up in the chaos experience heavy losses.

Wednesday, Prof Kaimenyi said the Government was concerned about the destruction of property and wasted study time due to what he said were mistakes and oversights that could be averted.

UNACCREDITED COURSES

The stakeholders' meeting Wednesday listed a number of reasons behind student strikes and proposed a number of measures that should be taken to avoid them.

Thursday, Kaimenyi will meet the vice chancellors of Kenyatta University, JKUAT, Technical University of Mombasa, Dedan Kimathi University, Karatina University and Meru University, which are yet to reopen after being hit by unrests.

Kaimenyi said fees reviews, institutions offering unaccredited courses and delayed release of higher education loans top the list of causes of student unrest.

The situation is further compounded by lack of proper information channels by university administration to engage students, inadequate teaching and learning facilities and sheer incompetence of some of the staff.

But he added that irresponsible behaviour on the part of some students had aggravated the situation.

Kaimenyi wants prudent management of universities and adequate involvement of students in the management of universities to end strikes.

He also wants universities to adopt a fees policy that would be implemented in consultation with various stakeholders.

"Some vice chancellors have been accused of interfering with student elections. That is not your business. Let them elect themselves, then involve them in running the university," Kaimenyi said.

He said all programmes taught in universities must go through proper accreditation channels.

"Make sure the relevant regulatory agencies have approved the programmes before you start teaching otherwise this will cause instability in your institution," he said.

The CS was speaking at a meeting that brought together council chairmen and vice chancellors of both public and private universities. Principals of various constituent colleges were also present.

A team of university administrators drawn from both public and private universities said students were stressed and the institutions were not ready to manage them.

It also emerged that most students lack a culture of patriotism, leading to wanton destruction of property and loss of lives.

They also said admission mismatches against declared capacities were stretching university facilities and leading to chaos.

The CS, however, warned students against rioting over petty issues such as power blackouts.