Universities to Phase Out Unpopular Courses in Higher Education Reform
Public universities in Kenya may see significant staff layoffs following an agreement between President William Ruto and Vice Chancellors to eliminate programs that fail to attract students.
During a meeting held at State House in Nairobi on Tuesday, it was resolved that some academic programs will be discontinued, while others will be transferred to institutions with a strong niche in their respective fields.
Potential Job Cuts
This reorganization aims to implement a reform plan that could lead to the downsizing of universities.
This plan echoes a 2018 proposal by the late former Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha, which suggested merging universities and closing those offering non-responsive courses.
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Under the new reform agenda, universities and the State Department of Higher Education are tasked with identifying courses that lack student enrollment and consolidating others.
Specialization of Universities
The reforms will encourage universities to specialize in specific fields.
According to data from the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service, over 100 courses attracted fewer than 10 students in the 2023 university placement.
Some of these courses, which may be discontinued, include:
- Food Security
- Horticulture
- Soil Science
- Forestry
- Dryland Agriculture
- Biological Sciences
- Geophysics and Mineralogy
- Aquaculture and Fisheries Technology
- Environmental Chemistry
Additionally, courses with only one student placed nationally, such as Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management, Bachelor of Science Networks and Communication Systems, Bachelor of Industrial Technology, Water Resource and Environmental Management, Environmental Resource Management, Library and Knowledge Management, and Bachelor of Arts Chaplaincy, are also at risk.
Changes in Funding Model
The meeting also addressed changes in funding students under the current university funding model, known as Differentiated Unit Cost (DUC).
This model, which covered up to 80 percent of student fees with students covering the remaining 20 percent, has faced challenges due to underfunding by the government.
The Ministry of Education reported that the government currently provides only 42 percent of the DUC, leaving a shortfall of 38 percent.
During the meeting, it was reported that President Ruto pledged to increase this allocation to 50 percent.
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President Ruto directed Vice Chancellors to develop incentives to attract students to enroll in courses that can drive Kenya’s progress.
This directive aims to align university programs with the country’s developmental needs and ensure that higher education institutions contribute effectively to national growth.
Universities to Phase Out Unpopular Courses in Higher Education Reform
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