Kisii University Vice Chancellor Prof John Akama has asked the government to give more funds to recently upgraded universities to sustain developments, research facilitation and recruitment of more staff.
This comes at a time when over 10 newly chartered universities are in a financial turmoil that has resulted to stalling of projects such as construction of new hostels to increase accommodation of rapid population growth in the institutions.
Speaking yesterday during a seminar organised by Management Science Department and the university’s moot court, Akama noted that most public universities can no longer handle exponential growth of student population due to limited funds from the government.
“Accommodation, lecture halls and funds for research facilitation is a major concern. Upcoming universities are poorly funded despite absorbing many government-sponsored students,” the VC said.
He added that the crisis should be addressed urgently for smooth learning and efficient dissemination of knowledge and authentic researches.
“The Ministry of Education should review the funding method. We no longer have a small or big institution of higher learning,” he said.
Kisii University for instance is severely affected by the menace, with the ICT building and new hostels projects that commenced over five years ago having since stalled due to insufficient funding.
According to the don, it is the mandate of Education Cabinet Secretary Prof Jacob Kaimenyi’s to conduct a survey so that all institutions are funded according to the capacity and student population.
“This is purely a ministerial issue that should be addressed without any discrimination or prejudice. It’s unfortunate that despite the student population of over 12,000, the ministry can give us only Sh500,000 million,” the VC lamented.