Students who join institutions of higher learning in the country are usually filled with hopes of completing their studies on time.
However, things are different at Moi University's School of Medicine.
Students who joined the school seven years ago to pursue medicine and surgery are still struggling with classwork yet they were supposed to have graduated the previous year.
To make matters worse, it is not clear whether they will graduate in the upcoming graduation which is scheduled for December, this year.
Speaking to the Daily Nation, one of the students expressed their disappointment as a result of failing to complete their studies on time.
"My inner spirit for this course is now diminishing. Back in 2012 when I joined this institution, I was very focused. But honestly, I’m now a bit lost. These frequent strikes by our lecturers have really messed me. This is my seventh year,” the student who sought anonymity said.
The delay has also caused the students to face financial challenges since the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) no longer offers them student loans because they have already completed the six years which the program was supposed to take.
“My last Helb money came last year. That is what I have been surviving on all along. This is my seventh year. We have tried appealing to the Helb board to give us a little extra money this year, but in vain,” added the student.
The prolonged studies have been as a result of lecturers' strikes which tend to cripple the operations at the school.
The lecturers and the university's administration have been engaging in endless conflict due to salaries and other allowances thus affecting the students' academic life.
Prof Robert Tenge, the school’s principal, has, however, noted that they are working on finding a lasting solution to the strikes.