This archive report was first published on 9 September 2019.
Kenya's university system is at a crossroads, with the need for a new direction becoming increasingly apparent.
As reported in June, Cabinet Secretary George Magoha directed higher education players to propose rationalization of universities, focusing on funding models and academic programs.
However, university administrators have strongly opposed the proposal for mergers and shutdowns, citing self-interest and potential job losses.
Despite this opposition, the Commission for University Education has yet to provide its proposals.
Meanwhile, the universities are set to admit freshers this month, primarily through government sponsorship, which has been a positive outcome of the crackdown on exam cheating at high school.
Only about 90,000 candidates qualified in last year's Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination and were subsequently placed at public universities.
The critical debate in university education revolves around viability and sustainability.
While the expansion of universities in the past two decades increased access to higher education, it also led to a crisis due to commercial interest and political influence.
Too many universities and colleges were established, offering repetitive courses and failing to expand the frontiers of knowledge.
This led to a shortage of lecturers and an excess of graduates, particularly in humanities, resulting in an unemployment crisis.
With hindsight, university growth must be planned and organized, driven by demands rather than commercial interests.
Creation of new universities or degree programs should be based on genuine needs, and duplicated courses and programs must be eliminated.
Political meddling that turned some universities into ethnic enclaves also needs to end.
However, the current model of uncontrolled expansion, declining quality, and ballooning costs is unsustainable.
A comprehensive review of university education is required, charting a new path for funding, academic programs, and management.
Prof Magoha must push for the conclusion of consultations and provide new direction on university education.
