Kisii University News, Education CS George Magoha (centre), PS Bellio Kipsang (left) and PS State Department for University Education and Research Collette Suda (right) appear before National Assembly Education committee on May 7, 2019. Prof Magoha has praised Kisii University for closing down satellite campuses. PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
In Summary
- Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha asked Vice-Chancellor Prof John Akama to continue with the reforms.
- Prof Magoha also ruled out any extra funding to private universities.
Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha has praised Kisii University for shutting down some of its satellite campuses that were not viable.
Prof Magoha said he was involved in solving challenges that were facing the university since 2016.
The CS said, despite the university facing financial challenges, it is now on the right track and asked Vice-Chancellor Prof John Akama to continue with the reforms.
REFORMS
“You can still go further with the reforms in order to ensure that the quality of staff and programmes is maintained,” said Prof Magoha.
The university had more than 13 satellite campuses but has since closed about 10 of them and merged others.
Prof Magoha said the management of the institution may not see the importance of the restructuring but those outside the institution appreciate the reforms.
The CS was speaking during Kenya’s Higher Education Conference in Nairobi in Nairobi on Tuesday.
He also ruled out any extra funding to private universities.
“We do not have extra funds to give private universities which have admitted government-sponsored students,” said the CS.
DEGREES
Prof Magoha, however, questioned the quality of some of doctorate and Masters degrees that local universities award to students. He said that some of them are obtained through fraud.
Prof Magoha said some of the students holding PhDs and Masters degrees do not deserve them since most of them are assisted to do their research.
He directed the Commission for University Education to investigate some of PhDs that are being awarded to students.
He explained how he recently came across PhD graduates in several interviews who could not explain issues and wondered how they got the degrees.
EMERGING ISSUES
“Holding a paper does not mean anything. Some universities are producing more than 100 PhDs per year but when you look at the quality, it is only 10 who merit to have the doctorate degrees,” said Prof Magoha.
He said employers have raised concern over the quality of graduates from public universities saying most of them lack ability to respond to emerging issues.
Vice-chancellors committee chairman Prof Francis Aduol narrated how he interviewed two ill-trained PhD graduates who were supposed to be hired as lecturers.
Prof Aduol said, despite having good resumes, the two had no knowledge on what they were supposed to do.