This archive report was first published on 13 June 2021.
Published on June 13, 2021, Kenyatta University Vice Chancellor, Paul Wainaina, revealed a growing demand for professors at Kenyan universities, but the institutions are struggling to supply them.
With a total of 118 PhD graduates in 2019, Kenyan universities are producing more academics, but the quality of those qualifications is being questioned.
Speaking at a recent event, Wainaina expressed concern over the low number of professors at Kenyatta University, which he said might affect the quality of education and research.
He noted that the Department of Education has only four full professors and two associate professors, and most of the remaining professors will be retiring in the coming years.
“The future of every university lies with its thinktanks who are the professors. There used to be a time when we used to be like eight full professors and several associates. Now it is worrying because I have just a few years left before I leave and I have not seen anyone close to a professor level,” Wainaina said.
He called on lecturers to further their studies through research to attain professorship and save the future of the departments and the quality of education in the country.
“Professors are the apex of scholarship in any university. We need to get more lecturers promoted into professors to save the quality of education starting with teaching, doing research for solving problems of this nation,” Wainaina said.
