Nairobi ready for new university

By JOSEPHAT SIROR

A new university is underway in the heart of city centre. California Miramar University has secured a premise at View Park Towers that was formerly occupied by Moi University’s Nairobi campus.

Its directors have been in the country assessing work, which is expected to last for few days before it officially opens its doors.

“In the next few months, we will be admitting students. For now, we are almost completing setting up everything,” said CMU president Dominic Mwenja.

CMU president Dr Dominic Mwenja (right). [PHOTO: Tabitha Otwori/Standard]

He said the institution would feature uniquely to bridge runaway qualifications required of students seeking enrollment in the public universities.

The university board says its accreditation will certainly match with the normal validation process by the Commission for Higher Education.

Accreditation process

“Being an accredited American university makes the process easier since the US accreditation will also be enforced on our local branch campus,” Dr Mwenja explains.

The university is fully accredited in the US. CMU, according to the board, will offer several degree courses including business, health, accounts, and leadership.

It also plans to adopt a similar curriculum used in Asian branch for uniformed standard but little adjustment to suit local needs. 

“American curriculum is no different from Kenya’s, but we have developed in a manner that would suit local students and the market,” said Mwenja who himself studied in America. 

High cost education

He says a greater population of young and qualified students in the country has been bogged down by dim prospects in education due to high cost of university education.

“This country has quite a huge number of talented and intelligent youths, but how can they find a place if they are simply have nothing?” he asked referring to needy, brilliant students.

He attributed the disparity to lack of pertinent institution to create placement for needy students.

“As American-Kenyan school, we will create opportunity for the poor and brilliant students in the country,” he pledged.

Bridging gaps

The new institution is co-owned by Kenyan and American partners with its networks in Asia. Setting up of a base in Kenya, according to Mwenja, was remarkable choice given the demand for varsity education.

The entry of CMU marks yet another growing venture by private entities aimed at filling the much-needed gap in tertiary education. It is estimated more than 80,000 students miss university placement in the recent selection, although they meet the required minimum qualifications.

Last month, the Government announced that it would undertake double intake to reduce the backlog of students waiting to join university. The State is, however, overwhelmed partly due to lack of enough facilities.