Corruption at the center of university funding crisis in Kenya, experts say

Public universities in Kenya have been struggling with financial challenges to the extent that even students and lecturers are also battling with issues related to funding.

The financial challenges facing universities in Kenya stem from issues such as limited resources, low funding support from the government, increasing number of students in need of support, inadequate grant funding, high wage bills, and low rate of recovery of loans from students who have graduated.

Over time, funding strategies for higher education have changed significantly in both developed and developing nations, including Kenya.

Higher education which previously provided by the state at subsidized rate is now more and more reliant on cost-recovery strategies like student paying fees and also relying on loans – a model that has gained popularity in most countries, Kenya included since the early 1990s.

State universities have struggled with these problems for almost thirty years.

Initially, when the Moi University started experiencing financial problems, most analysts attributed the difficulties to misuse of funds by the top management.

However, whereas the challenge was viewed to be a mismanagement issue, the fact that the problem has spread its tentacle to other public universities is nerve wrecking.

Analysts contend that even though funding gaps are perceived as the main problem, endemic corruption, financial mismanagement, and misuse of public funds or power for personal gain are the main problems facing the university education.

Indeed, the funding crisis of institutions in Kenya started in the 1990s when the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) advised the government not to fund the institution saying that instead they could use the money to fund basic education.

According to the World Bank and International Monetary Fund IMF), funding of basic education in Kenya (primary and lower secondary) would yield higher returns on investment in poor and middle-income nations than in higher education.

The World Bank advised that higher education institutions would as a result compete for funding globally by increasing their prestige, improving their research and teaching, and developing strategies to increase their market share.

Universities in Kenya have tried these, but nothing is yielding fruits. They are still mired in the same problems. To date apart from paying salaries with the funding, which they get from the National Treasury, there is no major research going on in our public universities.

Higher education plays a significant factor in the development of any country. It is viewed as the backbone of every country. This is so mainly due to the research which universities are believed to be undertaking.

Indeed, no country can endure in a competitive world, if its education system is not capable of contributing to its development.

This cannot occur if universities in Kenya just perform their basic role in society – churning out students. They also need to generate funds through research, which the teaching staff are said to be undertaking.

In order to develop Kenya as an education hub or to become a prosperous partner within the world economy, universities must play their role effectively as seen in other countries.

Globally the likes of Cambridge University, University of Leeds, University of Oxford, the University Edinburgh in UK, and University of Michigan, University of California, Berkeley, the University of Texas at Austin, University of Virginia, University of California, University of North Carolina, University of Florida, and Georgia Institute of Technology in the USA are doing well financially despite funding cuts.

These universities exist majorly due to extensive research they undertake. The funding for the research is sourced competitively across the globe. This is one area that public universities in Kenya must engage themselves in order to tackle the funding crisis.

Let universities in the country compete for research funding, through competitive academic schemes based on merit, and targeted research projects in the government and corporate sectors, and secondly, through tuition revenues from international and postgraduate students.

Sustainable future

Universities have a great deal of potential to use outreach and community engagement programs to increase their influence outside of campus. This is especially important for promoting sustainable development since it guarantees that university research and teaching benefit local communities and partners, promoting their resilience and growth.

One of the best ways to motivate change is to encourage students to take part in voluntary, community-driven service projects that emphasize sustainable development.

These projects give students worthwhile learning experiences, introduce new viewpoints to communities, and create long-lasting, beneficial change, whether they are required for graduation or as part of academic credits.

Universities should expand micro-credential programmes to equip community leaders and local partners with the skills needed to raise awareness and build capacity for sustainable development.

This targeted learning can cultivate local leadership and enhance the community’s ability to confront sustainability challenges. Community engagement should be an integral part of academic staffs’ professional responsibilities.

Activities such as research commercialization for science and technology faculty, or consultancy work for social sciences, should be recognised in promotion criteria and performance reviews.

This would incentivise staff to contribute to local development while fostering innovation and sustainable solutions.

Universities can work together with local communities by establishing joint incubation centres that foster entrepreneurship, blending university expertise with local contributions to develop sustainable businesses and drive continuous economic growth.

In addition, integrating local expertise and indigenous knowledge into sustainability efforts is crucial.

This facilitates knowledge exchange, ensuring that academic research is closely connected to everyday applications and provides culturally relevant, impactful solutions to the sustainability challenges faced by communities.

The newly introduced university funding model has been opposed and cited as discriminatory and punitive, particularly towards students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Students claim that the new system would limit access to higher education for many, as it would make it difficult for students from low-income families to afford tuition fees.