Taskforce report recommends upgrade of Eregi teachers college

A taskforce report has recommended the upgrade of St Augustine Eregi Teachers Training College into a constituent campus of Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology.

The taskforce appointed by Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa in November last year, presented its report to the MMUST acting Vice Chancellor Prof Charles Mutai on Tuesday.

The taskforce was chaired by Kakamega deputy governor Ayub Savula with Prof Kubasu Kwashe and Vivian Ayuma as joint secretaries.

Prof Mutai is expected to submit the report to the University Council for adoption awaiting approval from the Commission of University Education.

If approved, Eregi Catholic University will become the fifth university in Western after MMUST, Kibabii in Bungoma, Kaimosi in Vihiga and Bumbe in Busia county.

The report said establishment of the university college is in line with the President Working Party on Education Reforms which recommended consolidation of teacher training colleges into one college.

A policy directive by the Basic Education PS dated October 6, 2022 addressed to TTC principals said that only eight of them were to be used to educate instructors, and as a result Eregi, Seme, Bondo, Ugenya, Bunyore, Bisbop Mohan and Chesta TTCs were to have their student populations redistributed to Kaimosi TTC.  

Savula said the college, in Idakho South ward of Ikolomani constituency, has 70 per cent of the requisite infrastructure for a university campus.

“The taskforce established that the college has adequate land, classrooms, lecture halls, laboratories, toilets, staff quarters, farm for agricultural training and a first intake capacity of 3,000 students,” he said.

St Augustine Eregi TTC was established by the Catholic Mill Hill Fathers in 1949 to train T4 teachers. 

The college merged with Mukumu, Kibabii and St Josephs Kitale TTC in 1967 to become an entirely government managed college. It is sitting on a 52-acre land.

The report showed the proposed university will lead to economic empowerment, enhanced access to university education creation of employment opportunities, cultural development, infrastructure development and utilisation, growth of the Catholic church.

The report said Eregi Catholic University College will be instrumental in lowering poverty rates by increasing both the institution and students’ demand for better services from nearby businesses. 

It says the university’s satellite college will stimulate transition from the predominantly practiced subsistence farming to high value crop due to the presence of ready market, besides fostering local start-ups and revitalising the area, if established.

The report said the high cost of living in Kakamega county and the neighbouring areas, combined with elevated levels of poverty, has posed a significant barrier to higher education which establishment of the university will seek to cure by allowing children from the community to attend college because of the lower costs associated with commuting from home.

The report said the institution will offer employment opportunities to communities within and around Ikolomani where the rate of unemployment is high among the youths.

Savula said the county government, in anticipation of the upgrading of Eregi TTC to a university college, has since upgraded Bushiangala-Lusiola road to bitumen standard and Butwehe Containerised Water Project is ongoing. 

Upgrading Eregi Teachers Training College to university college status will improve the lives of the population around the area which will lead to an increase in aggregate demand for goods and services.