The Kenya School of Government was thrown into disorder yesterday afternoon during a forum between private university stakeholders and the government.
Angry university students disrupted the meeting, demanding to know why private university students haven’t been included as beneficiaries of the new university funding model, unlike their peers in public universities.
The frustrated students from several private universities chanted solidarity songs to voice their dissatisfaction with the new funding model, calling for a stakeholders’ meeting primarily composed of students.
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The chaos broke out while Dr Beatrice Inyangala, the Principal Secretary for Higher Education and Research, was present.
” PS, one, what is the empirical evidence that underpinned the transition to this new funding model, and how were the potential adverse consequences anticipated and addressed in its formation? Number two, Madam PS, how does the new funding model align with the provisions of the constitution that talk about the equality of education to all, including the marginalized?” One of the frustrated students said.
“Our private universities’ vice-chancellors are here with us. We are not puppets. “Hatujakuja hapa kuwabembeleza” we are rejecting it in totality. How can 16,000 students be sent to Kisii University while there is a university just here, which has lecturers, and most of the lecturers are young people? We are the ones that are employing young people. In public universities, how many tutors are below the age of 35?” The student added.
By Frank Mugwe
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