We need more funds, Jkuat pleads

Some of the pioneer students of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery programmes at the JKUAT graduation on Friday. They were among 4,739 graduands. [Fidelis Kabunyi, Standard]

Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology has expressed concerns over “inadequate” funding from the ministry of Education.

Vice Chancellor Victoria Ngumi said the increased number students was exerting pressure on teaching and training facilities, especially for science, engineering and technology courses.

Prof Ngumi said Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Services admitted 5,901 students for the 2019/20 academic year, an increase of five per cent from the previous year.

“This preference comes with challenges as it puts pressure on the existing facilities required for teaching and training, especially in science, engineering and technology courses,” she said.

Ngumi said the current mode of financing does not take full cognisance of these challenges, resulting in inadequate funding of the programmes. 

“I therefore urge the Ministry of Education to expedite implementation of the differentiated unit cost model and also increase capitation allocated to the university,” she said. 

She made the remarks during the university’s 34th graduation ceremony on Friday.

A total of 4,739 graduated, of which 4,075 were undergraduates, 567 masters and 97 doctorates from both JKUAT and Pan African University Institute for Basic Sciences, Technology and Innovation.

Thirty were the first graduands from JKUAT’s School of Medicine. 

“This cohort will be the first of medical doctors to graduate with Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery,” Ngumi said.

She said JKUAT has made concerted efforts to continually leverage on research, innovation and entrepreneurship for sustainable development.