Alarm raised over shortage of lecturers in varsities

Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi addresses participants during the launch of the Toll Free Call Centre at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development. The Cabinet secretary has raised the alarm over the shortage of university lecturers in the country. PHOTO | JAMES EKWAM | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The situation has been blamed on the less than 50 per cent of Masters and Doctor of Philosophy students who fail to complete their education.

The Ministry of Education has raised the alarm over the shortage of university lecturers in the country.

The situation has been blamed on the less than 50 per cent of Masters and Doctor of Philosophy students who fail to complete their education.

In a speech read on his behalf by Commission for University Education Deputy Secretary for Planning, Research and Development Juma Mukhwana, Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi said the demand for Kenyan lecturers stretches to East and Central Africa.

“Ninety per cent of all degree students complete their studies. This is not the case with those undertaking higher degrees. We urge this group of students to finish their studies and publish documents that will help solve current issues facing the country,” said Prof Kaimenyi.

Kenya being a signatory to the African Union protocol is obliged to commit one per cent of its gross domestic product to supporting scientific research.

“The current publication rate is less than one per cent. There is need to fund more research initiatives.

“For this reason, I am calling on more support to the National Research Fund to help spur innovations and increase publications that will put Kenya on a global academic map,” said Prof Kaimenyi.

The speech was read on Friday during Karatina University’s third graduation ceremony. Close to 1,000 students graduated during the event.

The institution used to be a constituent college of Moi University.