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KUSU says merging universities not a solution to key challenges

A past graduation ceremony at the University of Nairobi. Photo/FILE-CFM

NAIROBI, Kenya Jun 30 – The Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU) has stressed the need for more stakeholders’ participation in addressing issues affecting institutions of higher learning as opposed to ‘unilateral decisions’, while rejecting plans to merge some of them.

According to KUSU Chairman Charles Mukhwaya, there is need to address the real challenges with a view to getting both short and long-term solutions.

Mukhwaya insisted that the plan to merge universities recently announced by Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha does not reduce the problem of funding.

“There is urgent need for more focused stakeholder participation towards identifying the real challenges with a view to proferring both short and long term remedies moving forward. Hence we appeal to the education cabinet secretary to quickly consider and convene an urgent stakeholders meeting that will come up with a forward that will inform a clear policy formulation on these important state-run institutions,” Mukhwaya said.

He however, admitted that Universities face various challenges but refuted claims that they have bloated staff.

The union has rejected calls for university employees to be hired on contract.

“We reject that staff or employees within these institutions be strictly employed on contract terms. The labour laws do envisage that social partners will engage in collective bargaining on such a matter rather than have an executive decree that may lead to unforeseen repercussions. We therefor caution that there is need to make proposals and changes that are strictly within the law,” he said.

Some policy makers in the education sector have been agitating for closure and merging of some universities on grounds that they lack mechanisms and requisite funding to guarantee quality education.

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