Higher intake ‘to cause crisis at public universities’
More than 20,000 students who qualified for university education last year have been told to submit new applications for their preferred courses. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Mr Wilson Yego, a Communication and Media lecturer at Maseno University said that the learning situation in most of the universities was already deplorable due to congestion occasioned by the 2010 double intake.
- However, Kisumu Polytechnic Registrar, Mr Kevin Okumu said that polytechnics are set to benefit from the move by KUCCPS.
Experts have warned that the lowering of grades for university admission would put more strain on the already burdened learning institutions.
They said the step taken by the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS), which will see 5,000 additional students join university, taking overall enrolment to 58,000, would brew more trouble in the higher education sector
Mr Wilson Yego, a Communication and Media lecturer at Maseno University said that the learning situation in most of the universities was already deplorable due to congestion occasioned by the 2010 double intake.
He said that individual institutions should consider their capacities before increasing student numbers.
STRAINED RESOURCES
“Increased intake of students will certainly have a negative impact on most universities as the resources are constrained. The institutions’ managers should critically analyse the impact of a higher numbers on the little resources they have,” he said.
He said learning institutions have never had smooth experience while operating with strained resources.
“We already witnessed difficulties in universities like Masinde Muliro and Maseno which are grappling with increased insecurity due to lack of hostels,” he said.
However, Kisumu Polytechnic Registrar, Mr Kevin Okumu said that polytechnics are set to benefit from the move by KUCCPS.
“The system is still new but ideally, we have high expectations. It will create awareness about polytechnics and market our courses among form four leavers who have little knowledge about us.”
Marketing has been an uphill task for most Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions which have had to use their own means to get students, he said.
“It was difficult to attract attention of parents and students as most of them underrated the polytechnics.
“But now, we may end up with quality students as the new admission programme deters universities from taking in c – (minus) students for diploma courses. Instead they will be sent to TVET institutions for the diploma courses,” he said.
Through KUCCPS, Kisumu Polytechnic expects 920 students in the September single intake compared to 565 that it took under its wings last year.
