• Mutua says the merger and closure recommendation is retrogressive.
• He says that universally, the provision of education is the surest way of creating equity in society.
Image: GEORGE OWITI
Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua is opposed to the merger and closure of some public universities.
“As a party leader of a progressive and forward-looking party, it disturbs me to see policies that take us backwards and whose long-term effect is making it difficult for the poor and downtrodden to rise,” Mutua said.
He said the reality is that Kenya needs more universities as it grows with a population of nearly 80 per cent under 40.
The governor spoke on Saturday during a meeting with a group of students in his office.
He said that universally, the provision of education is the surest way of creating equity in society by bridging the gap between the haves and the have-nots.
“I do not support the new recommendations of merging universities and shutting down some of them. I appreciate the challenges facing higher education funding and quality standards but starting to close down universities located in counties and which we fought hard to get established, is not acceptable to us leaders and to wananchi.”
Mutua said the country risked sustaining an unequal society of a few billionaires and millions of the "wretched of the earth".
The Maendeleo Chap Chap party leader said that only a few youths accessed university education in the past due to lack of institutions of higher learning and limited facilities in the existing ones.
This perpetuated a cycle of poverty and slow economic growth. It was against this background, he said, that a deliberate policy to start more universities was adopted in 2004.
“This saw many new universities open up in many places in our counties, hence enabling young people to acquire university education, skills, and employment."
Mutua maintained that there is a need for more universities in the country to tame capital flight as parents send their children abroad for further studies.
He claimed that all universities were overflowing with students.“None lacks learners. In fact, looking at the numbers of students who complete secondary education, the places available in these universities don’t match the demand.”
The governor said universities can generate incomes. “Education is a big economy. Kenya needs to be innovative like Australia, South Africa, etc and adopt new innovative ways of offering education, including open learning to attract foreign students, raise income, bridge the funding gap and plough profits back to the economy.
"Partnerships with research institutions and businesses can be forged to bring in more funding. University dons should be able to raise funds the same way it is done in other countries,” Mutua said.