Students protest Kisii University's Eldama Ravine campus closure

Students from Kisii University's Eldama Ravine campus take to the streets to protest its closure. PHOTO | FLORAH KOECH | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Business in the town came to a standstill as the students, waving placards and chanting songs, matched to the sub-county commissioner’s office to air their grievances.

  • The campus is among five ordered shut by the Commission for University Education (CUE) earlier this year.

Dozens of students from Kisii University's Eldama Ravine campus took to the streets earlier today to protest the closure of their university.

Business in the town came to a standstill as the students, waving placards and chanting songs, matched to the sub-county commissioner’s office to air their grievances.

The campus is among five ordered shut by the Commission for University Education (CUE) earlier this year.

Campus Director Joseph Kandie said CUE inspected the facility last year but had not published its report.

“It is so unfortunate that we will be sending home more than 500 students and workers if the campus is shut. The commission should have highlighted areas of correction and not punishing students and staff,” said Mr Kandie.

He said the campus was providing higher education to many students from the region and closing it "will indeed be unfair”.

Mr Kandie said the campus had acquired adequate facilities, including modern buildings, to serve the students better.

DECISION RESCINDED

In January, CUE ordered Kisii University to close 10 of its 13 campuses in the western, Nyanza and Rift Valley regions.

But the decision was later rescinded and the university given 12 months to work on how to implement the directive.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.

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 the 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 2016 CUE audit report had indicated that some of the campuses were located in areas unconducive 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.