Presbyterian University of East Africa.[Photo/Nation
Presbyterian University of East Africa which was closed last week over failure to meet guidelines has gone to court over the decision.
Vice-Chancellor John Mungania termed the decision harsh and stated confidently that it will be lifted to allow the institution to continue with its operations.
“Learning is going on as we engage the government on the revocation of the decision. We have already met the Commission for University Education (CUE), Education ministry and Kenya University and Colleges Central Placement Service among others,” said Prof Mungania.
The ministry revoked the university’s letter of interim authority with effect from January 23 and the then acting Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i also gave CUE a go ahead on initiating the process of winding up the university of which the decision followed the recommendations made by the CUE.
The CUE report had also said Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) financially unstable and that since September 12, 2017, the university owed creditors Sh1.5 billion and it had violated rules on teaching hours.
CUEA Vice-Chancellor Justus Mbae defended the institution by noting that they are putting in place a turnaround strategy that involves restructuring and rationalization of its administration staff and other resources aimed at ensuring sound financial operations.
“The university’s board of trustees (BoT) and council are actively involved in implementing this turnaround strategy. This includes BoT’s approval and direction with regard to bailing out the university to ensure the debt-burden, arising from infrastructural investments, is reduced to manageable levels,” he said.
Kenya Private Universities Workers Union Secretary-General Peter Owiti said poor management was to blame for the problems affecting the institutions.
“There is need to separate the running of the church from managing a university. We also need the right people,” said Mr Owiti.