The government will allocate funds to help public universities that lack virtual learning infrastructure establish platforms, Education CS George Magoha has said.
Magoha said 20 per cent of the country’s public universities do not have virtual learning infrastructure and their students cannot study online. He urged universities to prepare for the resumption of learning in January next year.
“I think the universities should carry on with their normal business and I encourage universities that can make online admissions and orientation to do so,” he said in Thika.
The CS on Wednesday inspected Mount Kenya University and Thika Technical Training Institute (TTTI) for their reopening preparedness. He said that private and public universities with established online learning systems should continue offering online classes and examinations.
“I also encourage them to hold virtual graduation ceremonies,” he said.
Magoha was accompanied in the tours by MKU Vice Chancellor Stanley Waudo, pro-chancellor Vincent Gaitho, TTTI principal Sammy Cheruiyot and chairman Joseph Njuguna.
The CS also said that the ministry will fund private universities that admitted government-sponsored students through the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service to improve their services.
“We will look for funds for private universities which are carrying the load of students who are catered for by the government by accepting them to learn in their institutions,” Magoha said.
MKU is one of the private universities that have government-sponsored students. Vice Chancellor Waudo said most of them are studying through the virtual learning system.
Waudo said that out of the 10,000 students placed in the university under KUCCPS, 6,000 of them are taking their courses online.
The VC said MKU recently injected Sh50 million into improving its virtual learning infrastructure to enable its students to get the best and user-friendly platform.
“We are keen on testing students in critical thinking and understanding of the subject in order to zero rate any chances of cheating,” he said.
Magoha worried that most universities and colleges are still dragging their feet in complying with the Covid-19 health protocols ahead of reopening next year.
He said they have found that most institutions have congested hostels, small dining halls and classrooms that cannot help students maintain social distance. Others lack enough water points and sanitiser.
“Also, the universities and colleges should establish isolation or holding rooms in their institutions that can be used to hold students who exhibit symptoms before they are transferred to hospitals for proper testing and treatment,” he said.
The CS urged universities and colleges to establish partnerships with nearest health facilities. “Very few of our institutions have done that,” he said.
Magoha said that MKU and Strathmore are the only private universities in the country that have almost satisfactorily prepared for reopening.
(edited by o. owino)
