The World of Private Universities : the Experience of Kenya

The last three decades. Although the university degree is no longer the guaranteed ticket to formal employment, possession of it continues to be a major boost to the recipients social mobility prospects. The political elite, although threatened by the rising unemployment of university graduates, support higher education expansion for political reasons. After all, they can always hide behind the logic of the presumed contribution of higher education to their respective countries' socio-economic development.

In the absence of adequate national resources to support an expanded higher education sector, a point being constantly banged in the ears of African politicians by the World Bank, private higher education has witnessed some remarkable growth in a number of African countries. Growth of this sector has been further fuelled by several other developments, among which are: the limited opportunities availed of by public universities; the constant closures of state-funded universities; the limited course offerings available in public universities; and by the need of some religious organisations to make a mark in the host African countries. Compared to most other African countries, Kenya's private university system is relatively well-developed.

The University of East Africa, Baraton which is located in the Great Rift Valley, The Catholic University of East Africa, Daystar University and The United States International University (USIU) all in Nairobi are the major private universities operating in Kenya. There are an additional eighteen smaller, mainly religious institutions which award degrees through  larger universities based in the West (mainly in the larger universities based in the West mainly the US)

The Kenya National Commission for Higher Education (CHE) which is the buffer body between universities and gover ment has the overall responsibility of licensing private higher educational institutions. It categorises these institutions into three main categories, namely: registered private universities; accredited private universities; and private universities operating on the basis of a letter of internal authority.  CHE formulates procedures for the establishment and accreditation of private universities as well as their implementation. It needs to be pointed out that these requirements demand an unrealistically high standard of university education. If applied to the letter, few universities, including the more established public institutions such as the University of Nairobi would qualify for accreditation and the granting of a civil charter. In addition to the politicisation of the processes of accreditation and subsequent inspection by the CHE, limited human and physical resources are the major obstacles to the successful operation of the CHE.

 Private higher educational institutions have made some noticeable contribution to the development of Kenya's higher education sector. For many parents, school leavers, and some employed persons, these institutions have provided a second chance for those who would not otherwise have benefited from university education and at no public cost. The total intake of private universities is nearing 50 per cent of the intake of public institutions. Young school leavers whose parents can afford the fees of private institutions prefer them to public universities because they are able to enrol in university earlier and complete their studies in a much shorter duration than would be possible if they were to attend the frequently closed state universities. For those already on the job market who are keen on a university education, private universities are the perfect choice.

It however needs to be stressed that the learning opportunities offered by the private universities are rather limited. None of them offers courses in the physical and biological sciences mainly because of the costs involved in mounting these programmes. Thus, the prominent course offerings in most of these institutions are the social sciences, education (arts), business administration, accounting and computer science. All the religious colleges offer programmes in theology which is compulsory in some of them.Private universities are also providing leadership in some spheres of higher education development.

In the first place, unlike the public institutions which are often characterised by a duplication of existing degree programmes, some of which open few opportunities for post-graduate employment, the leading private universities are making an effort to respond to market forces even though their programmes remain limited to the social sciences. 

The leadership role of private universities is particularly visible with regard to their relatively more efficient management and planning activities. Compared to public universities: private universities; employ smaller numbers of staff; are characterized by more decentralized administrations; use merit considerations as the main criteria for employment; separate catering from academic services; and employ more efficient procurement strategies. In short, private universities are generally better run than the public ones, a situation which is helped by the fact that national politicians rarely interfere in their running. Inefficiency in the management of private universities may however result from the significant influence of religious bodies in some of these institutions. In some of these institutions the religious affiliation of potential employers may be more critical than their professional competence.

Having said this, it should be noted that the standard of education offered in the majority of the smaller private institutions could be said to be relatively poor. This is firstly because many of the students who enroll in these institutions have lower academic qualifications than their counterparts in public universities. Often it is those students who cannot compete for a place in public universities who end up in the private universities. Second, as noted earlier criteria such as religious commitment and not academic excellence is used to identify potential students, lecturers and university administrators. Third, even in the more successful private institutions, the profit motive has resulted in situations in which poor students are encouraged to continue their enrollment in their respective institutions and to eventually graduate with a degree certificate.

Thus, the more rigorous lecturers who demand what they consider some minimum standards from their students find themselves excluded from these private institutions. The quality of education offered in these institutions could also be lowered by the fact that private universities invest little in research programmes. Finally, with regard to the learning/teaching infrastructure, some private universities are much less endowed than some top African high school.

 

Reference : www.norrag.org