Higher learning institutions have been challenged to create a conducive learning environment to facilitate completion of studies by students within the stipulated time frame.
Recent data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) show that post-graduate degree holders comprise less than 3.5 per cent of the total Kenyan population.
Another study by the Commission for Universities Education (CUE) shows that only 30 per cent of students enrolled in Postgraduate studies in Kenya complete their degrees within the stipulated time frame.
Prof Isaiah Wakindiki, Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer at the KCA University attributed the poor completion rate to financial constraints and programme mismatch, a challenge he said calls for adequate mentorship and guidance by scholars to walk the students through their academic pursuits.
Speaking when he hosted more than 250 postgraduate students on a forum to discuss ways to enhance the students’ academic and scholarly well-being, Prof Wakindiki noted that student-faculty relations play a crucial role in the timely completion of studies, especially at the post-graduate level.
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“At KCA University, we understand that juggling work, studies, and personal life can be overwhelming. Our faculty members are competent and qualified to support students in their thesis and research work,” he said, adding that 40 per cent of the academic staff members at the private institution are PhD holders in various areas of specialization.
“This ensures that all postgraduate students get adequate mentorship and guidance from some of the best scholars in this country,” he added.
To relieve the financial burden in the facilitation of tuition fees, living expenses, and research costs that comes with pursuing postgraduate studies, the varsity CEO said that the institution has, through the Directorate of Research, Innovation and Outreach, been connecting postgraduate students with funding opportunities such as grants and fellowships.
“The directorate has also been training them on grant application skills and competencies,” he added.
The financial relief, he said, has been helping learners to avoid dropping out of school due to a lack of school fees.
To retain most students in school, the varsity boss further advised students to choose a study model that would favour their schedules to ensure that they did not go through a lot of stress trying to accomplish several tasks simultaneously.
By Kamau Njoroge
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