A section of parents with children and dependants at Egerton University have protested at the university’s management conditions for reopening early next year after closing indefinitely two weeks ago following student rioted in protest against new examination rules. The parents who talked to this writer today in Nakuru town termed the tough conditions as dictatorial and unrealistic and will not only put a huge baggage on them but also risked the termination of the students education at the university. An employee of Nakuru General Hospital Peter Waswa, a parent of a third year Agricultural Engineering student said he feared he may not meet the conditions laid down by the university management due to his financial incapability. He urged the university management to revise the conditions to allow students from poor backgrounds continue with their education. “I find it hard to believe what I saw in the press. Poor parents like us may not sent our children back to the university because the financial requirements are too huge to bear. I wish parents come up to protest,’’ said Waswa an aged clerk at the hospital. Another parent Doreen Muriuki, a secretary with the ministry of public works in Nakuru said the rules were too strict and will render many students to drop out of university. She said she struggles pay fees for her second year Bachelor of Commerce daughter and would likely not meet the university’s new examination rules demands upon the re-opening of the university. “I struggle to pay fees for my daughter and I have other children in secondary school. These conditions are unbearable,’’ said the single mother of four. According to details contained in an advertisement in a section of a print media today signed by the university’s Registrar in charge of academic affairs Professor Samuel Owido, all students who were in session at Njoro Main Campus during the strike must pay Sh5,122 each towards repair and restoration of damaged properties at the university through the university’s bank account before reporting at the university for registration. Students with outstanding fees balances must also pay it in full through the university account before reporting for registration. The announcement further stated that only fully registered students will be issued with examination cards while those who will not have complied with the conditions will be expected to defer their studies. On average both self sponsored and government sponsored students at the university pay Sh50,000 per semester excluding food and accommodation expenses. Students buy stationery and cater for other academic costs like photocopying and academic trips expenses while those who travel far from the university spend over Sh2000 on transport costs per semester.

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