By Amoto Ndiewo
The Honourable Members of Parliament have expressed disappointment with some proposals in the University Amendment Bill 2021.
While expressing dissatisfaction with nepotism, funding, admission and missing marks bedevilling the public university systems, most MPs contributing to the amendment bill supported it, with reservations.
Most MPs, who obtained the floor on the motion, supported the university amendment bill on condition of further amendments to make it pro-poor.
Taking to the floor of the August House, after the Leader of Majority Hon. Amos Kimunya had obtained the floor to table the motion, Ruaraka MP Hon TJ Kajwang said it was unacceptable that students who had applied to join public universities found themselves studying in private universities.
Joining in the fray the combatant Suba MP Millie Odhiambo added her voice in the debate. Hon Millie said that it wasn’t only acceptable to force students in private universities which they didn’t have amongst their prime choices but the poor students found the fee charged exorbitant.
Ndaragua MP Hon Jeremiah Kioni noted the misadventure of inflated fees in private universities has led some students to drop out of university. He said as much as Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Services (KUCCPS) was thought to be a worthy replacement for corruption ridden Joint Admission Board (JAB), KUCCPS is equally laden with corruption.
“How do you explain how a poor chap who applied for a place in a public university being enrolled in a profit driven private university, is it not pure fraud and theft,’’ the MP lamented.
Resuming her attacks on the current university system Suba MP Hon Millie Odhiambo said it was surprising that the question of missing marks was prevalent in both public and the private universities.
“Talking from a personal experience, I have evidence of cases in public and private universities where students have been forced to walk an extra year to re-sit examinations after their initial four years because of missing marks,’’ said Millie Odhiambo .
Kioni further punched holes at the government distribution of resources. He said it was unfair for the government to pump money in profit driven private universities while the public ones were starved of those very funds.
“How do we use the poor to subsidise the rich,’’ spiked Seme MP Dr James Nyikal who claimed it was unfair for the government to fund profit driven private universities which charge outrageous fees to poor students who had not chosen the institutions in the first place.
The MPs further threw jabs at the executive micromanaging public universities. They said it was improper having the Education CS appoint Vice Chancellors of public universities whereas private universities have Vice Chancellors appointed by the board of university council.
“Basically universities must be independent of the executive said,’’ said Nyikal who cited the recent tussle between Education CS Prof Magoha and Prof. Kiama, the Vice Chancellor of the Nairobi University.
He said two professors backed different horses on who would take over management at the University of Nairobi.
“Reaching a gridlock the law courts had to settle the tussle,’’ said Nyikal who suggested the education CS ought to have a representative at the university council.
The Ndaragua MP added that by KUCCPS starving public universities of students and the government failure to bankroll them has driven some public universities close down campuses.
Millie Odhiambo wondered at the much prevailing nepotism in public universities. “How do we explain Moi and Maseno universities only employing Kalenjins and Luos respectively? Nepotism is not limited to Moi and Maseno, it is widespread across the Kenya public university landscape,’’ said Odhiambo.
The government further came under fire for underfeeding the research department. The honourable members said researchers grows the institution of knowledge and lack of it kills development.
“It is unfortunate some universities especially in food science, food technology and nutrition department have very old equipment which is not currently in use, yet we expect our students to be savvy in state of the art studies,’’ said Kioni.
Kioni said that despite several warnings to the government, it appeared the government has never been ready to weather the storm and the university amendment bill presented a chance to correct the wrongs.
“The amendment bill 2021 comes both as a rescue mission and recovery one, thus we have to make the necessary amendment and not allow things to get worse, for non-affluent students, ’’ said Kioni.
