Kenyan University Parallel Degree Program in Jeopardy

Kenyan Universities are set to miss out on billions of shillings they have been generating from privately sponsored students programs after all available spaces that would be taken by parallel degree students were taken by the 88,626 students who scored C+ and above during last year’s Kenya certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE).

Further, the institutions of higher learning will lose more revenue after the announcement by the Ministry of Education that it will be funding the universities based on the courses they offer, meaning that universities which offer more art courses compared to science courses will receive less funds.

This has rendered most universities short of funds and are now seeking more money from the government to enable them cater for their expenses, while others are pursuing alternative means of raising funds, such as pursuing profit-making investments.

Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) vice-chancellor Mabel Imbuga lamented the move adding that the decision will affect the revenues of universities across the country.

“We are going to lose money due to lack of students for module two,” Prof Imbuga said.

Currently, there are 70 universities with an approximate of 564,507 students, two-thirds of which are self-sponsored in 35 public universities.

Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service placed a total of 88,626 students this year in both public and private universities. 17,368 of this will join private universities while 71,089 will join public institutions starting September.

Public universities have in the past years spent massive resources to set up hundreds of satellite campuses to accommodate the parallel programs students, and hiring hundreds of part-time lecturers which means that a majority of their jobs are at risk.

Vice-Chancellors Committee chairman Francis Aduol said that the admission of all students who attained C+ and above in KCSE marked the end of parallel degree programs in public universities.

“This year there will be no module two students, it will have to transform or die but it has to die and I will be happy,” Prof Aduol said.

He added: “It should be the right thing and our objective should be that all students should go to universities and get government sponsorship.”