Satellite Universities Facing Closure in Govt’s Plan
The Ministry of Education in Kenya has announced its plans to shut down satellite public institutions to improve the quality of education in public universities.
The Principal Secretary of Higher Education and Research, Beatrice Inyangala, revealed the plan before the Public Investments Committee on Education and Governance on February 28, 2023, stating that the move would streamline the sector and address the funding challenges faced by students seeking admission to universities.
The Ministry of Education defines a satellite institution as a campus of a university or college that is situated far from the main university.
Universities with satellite institutions include the University of Nairobi, Kenyatta University, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Moi University, and Egerton University.
The Education Ministry has not yet revealed which satellite campuses will be targeted by the proposed plan to improve higher education institutions. However, the Public Investments Committee on Education and Governance has faulted the strategy, arguing that it exposes inconsistencies in the ministry.
The committee claimed that the proposal was misinformed since the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) was still admitting students to private institutions of higher learning. Additionally, Education PS Inyangala was questioned over the admission of students to private universities.
MPs Naisula Lesuuda and Mark Mwenje demanded to know the criteria used to determine the cut-off point for students to be government-sponsored and whether there was consideration of students’ financial background.
In response, PS Inyangala explained that the decision to admit students to public universities arose due to the gap in the number of qualified students versus slots available in public universities, and some public universities lacked the capacity to take specialized courses.
The proposed plan to shut down satellite public institutions in Kenya aims to improve the state of public universities and streamline the education sector.
The Ministry of Education has yet to specify which satellite campuses will be closed, but the move has been criticized by the Public Investments Committee on Education and Governance for exposing inconsistencies in the ministry.
The committee argued that the plan was misinformed, as the KUCCPS was still admitting students to private institutions of higher learning.
The Education Ministry has explained that the decision to admit students to public universities was due to the gap in the number of qualified students versus slots available in public universities and the lack of capacity in some public universities to take specialized courses.
Satellite Universities Facing Closure in Govt’s Plan
