Pull public universities out of perpetual crises

Universities Academic Staff Union during the ongoing contrywide strike. [File, Standard]

There seems to be no end in sight to the countrywide strike called by the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) and Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU).

University staff downed tools on September 18, 2024, over myriad issues, including failure by the government to actualise a 2021-2025 Comprehensive Bargaining Agreement (CBA). The new university funding model that placed students in five bands has been opposed, and both students and lecturers have called for the abolition of bands four and five. Besides, lectures have demanded the harmonisation of the retirement age of lecturers to be pegged at 75 years, an increase of between seven and 10 per cent of basic salary and access to car and mortgage schemes as contained in a circular issued by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission in 2014.

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said during the 71st graduation ceremony at the University of Nairobi last week that the government had agreed to the harmonisation of the retirement age and an increase of seven per cent in the basic salary, which, seemingly, the striking lecturers have rejected.

An attempt by UASU and KUSU members to present their petition regarding implementation of the 2021-2025 CBA to the Education CS by marching to the Treasury and Ministry of Education offices failed after police officers teargassed them on Monday. This only adds to a hardening of positions while higher education in the country sinks deeper into crisis that impacts the sector negatively. Wasted hours and destruction of property when students go on the rampage conspire to rob our universities of dignity. It is no wonder then that our universities no longer rank favourably in the global rankings as they used to.

In keeping in touch with the aspirations of devolution, which include taking services closer to the people and giving all regions equal opportunities in education, there was a mushrooming of universities across the country. While in itself a good thing, it is evident that not much thought went into this new phenomenon. Universities are all over, but most face housing and funding challenges that are taking their toll on students. Karatina University students ran afoul of the police in Karatina on Monday when they staged demonstrations against exploitation by landlords and transport companies. Rongo University third-year students were recently ordered to vacate the compound after protesting an increase in fee and accommodation. These concerns have also been expressed by students in other universities across the country.

Moreover, universities have consistently complained of inadequate funding for research. Again, the government has failed to remit funds it owes universities promptly to facilitate the smooth running of these institutions.

Improving the quality of learning in our universities requires more than lip service and a contest of wills between the government and the institutions. The government must make deliberate efforts to turn around our universities by taking matters of education more seriously. We must strive to become one of the countries that offers quality education in Africa.