Varsity to close down five campuses

Kisii University will close five out of 10 campuses it had been ordered to shut down by the Commission for University Education early in the year.

In a plan submitted to the government, the university will also merge some of the campuses as part of a 12-month road plan agreed upon by the institution and the Ministry of Education.

As per the plan, Isebania and Kehancha campuses will be merged to one, Eldama Ravine and Kabarnet will also be coalesced while Keroka, Nyamira and Ogembo will be closed down and students taken to the main campus.

Meanwhile, Maasai Mara University in Narok County has closed down five of its satellite campuses in Kilgoris, Nyandarua, Bomet, Kajiado and Kisii.

The institution attributed the move to the government initiative to control unnecessary expansion of public universities.

In January this year, Kisii University was ordered by CUE to close 10 out of 13 of its campuses in the Western, Nyanza and Rift Valley regions.

However, the decision was rescinded and the institution given 12 months to work on how to implement the directive.

Laikipia University’s campus in Nyahururu and Kabarak University’s Nairobi campus were also directed to put their houses in order within 12 months or face closure.

The issues the institutions were required to address included recruitment and retention of quality lecturers, development of facilities and library resources.

A three-member committee chaired by former University of Nairobi Vice-Chancellor Crispus Kiamba has been working with the commission and ministry to ensure the changes are implemented.

Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i said the government will hold university authorities accountable for activities that compromise the quality of education.

“We will hold them to the highest standards and demand compliance with the law and established regulations without exception,” he said.

The CUE 2016 audit report had indicated that some of the campuses were located in areas which were not conducive to learning.

Some were close to bars and bus parks while others had no adequate learning facilities such as lecture rooms, libraries and administrative areas.