MPs are unsure about the placement of 16,000 students at Kisii University.
Members of the National Assembly’s Education Committee expressed confusion over the placement of the 16,000 students in this year’s cohort at Kisii University.
It was difficult for a Commission for University Education (CUE) spokesperson to explain the judgment on Tuesday since she maintained that the university could accommodate the enormous number of students assigned to them.
At a meeting between the Department of Higher Education and the MP Julius Melly-led committee, Marcella Mwaka, the head of the commission’s program accreditation, informed the MPs that Kisii University has 317 academic staff members, 91 lecture halls, 14 laboratories, and 3 computer labs.
“We perform the validation based on the university’s resources and the programs’ accreditation status,” the spokesperson stated.
The fact that colleges offer a variety of academic programs is something we should be aware of. For example, Kisii University offers 82 bachelor’s degree programs, which is the third most after Jomo Kenyatta University, which offers 100 programs, and Kenyatta University, which offers 87.
Members of the committee, who questioned how Kisii University would be able to enroll more students than, say, larger universities like Kenyatta University, JKUAT, or the University of Nairobi, were unconvinced by the explanation.
“Are you certain that you can accommodate 16,000 students in one cohort while acknowledging that there are other students at the institution with 317 academic staff, 91 lecture halls, 14 laboratories, and 3 computer labs?” Posed Melly, the Tinderet MP, as well.
Mwaka informed the committee that the institution needed at least 1,000 staff personnel, compared to the 317 available, because of the 16,000 students in this year’s cohort.
“We were concerned about Kisii University’s enrollment in comparison to other larger universities in our nation. Siaya County MP Christine Ombaka said, “We need you to compare those numbers with the ones in those bigger universities and make us understand the logic you used.”
Mwaka’s attempts to clarify the reasoning behind the large number given to Kisii University were unsuccessful, as the committee insisted that she reappear later with more thorough explanations.
“I am aware that your desire is to provide us with a well-reasoned response, but that is not the reality. You approved these figures, so are you sleeping at your desk as a university commission member? Are you encouraging incompetence? Melly struck a stance.
MPs are unsure about the placement of 16,000 students at Kisii University.
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