By Carlos Onyango
Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha yesterday issued an order to university heads to make their final decision on whether to merge or close down within a period of two weeks.
The CS met with vice-chancellors and their deputies in a closed-door meeting at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) in an effort to drive reforms in the tertiary level of education which he views as a moribund system. He gave the VCs a period of two weeks to come up with their own proposals to propel the reform agenda.
Some of the positions in university administration may cease to exist following these reforms. The deputy vice-chancellors in public universities have at least four different positions which might be affected by the reforms.
During his budget speech last week, National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich supported the university reform move as he stressed that the reforms are critical and that the government would be seeking to change operations at institutions of higher learning.
“University reforms are critical at this stage. We will review and implement radical measures that would include merger and closure of some universities and their campuses that are not able to sustain their operations against the number of students admitted or degree courses offered,” Rotich said during his budget speech.
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The move would also mean job cuts as most employees, especially those of the lower cadres, may have to get off and relieved of their duties.
The CS insisted that tough decisions, though unfavourable to some people, have to be made in order for quality results to be reached, which won’t be possible if the system is a cakewalk.
The commission of University Education (CUE) is also tasked with the responsibility of giving its findings in a survey meant to give the status of universities, a prelude towards the reform agenda.
It is expected that colleges will be established and classified alongside their courses of specialization.
These changes are expected to kickstart at the end of Magoha’s two-week ultimatum.