Category Archives: education

Student maturity in Kenya

(JKUAT) (Jomo Kenyatta ) students have filed a lawsuit to stop their university from raising their fees by about 300%.

Previously they would have rioted, stoned some cars, fought with police and cause the university to be closed prematurely. Later they would be re-admitted, only to find out that they would have to repeat the aborted semester, pay for damages from the riot, and also pay the new fees they were disputing in the first place.

I wish them the best in their lawsuit, but universities have no choice but to increase revenues to pay for increasing lecturer and other learning costs.

Education Briefs

Egerton/Western Michigan (Universities) joint program
Under the (2 plus 2) study arrangement, a student will study for two years at Egerton University (Nakuru, Kenya), and the final two at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Eligible programs are B. Business Administration, B. Sc Computer Science, and B. Sc Engineering (16 majors available) and should begin in May 2005. Academic fees range from 45,000 – 65, 000 shillings per semester with an additional US$300 per semester paid when at Michigan. Each program will register 50 participants, who will have attained a minimum C+ in KCSE. Email ssp@egerton.ac.ke for more information

University Bill
When parliament passes an education bill later this year, university students will be able to transfer academic credits from one institution to another. This will reduce the cost of education, as well as enable students to complete studies faster.

US VISA fees up
US Embassy has increased Visa fees yet again.

KCSE Results are out

Kids are cheering and mugging for news cameras and I’m thinking:
(i) Why aren’t these kids in class? These are not their results (these are of students now out of school)
(ii) What really goes on at Kisii schools each November?
(iii) Will the same student ever top Standard 8, and then do it again in Form IV exams?
(iv) Private secondary schools don’t shine as much as they do in primary exams (or maybe they teach British, IB or other education systems)
(v) When did physics become an optional, not compulsory subject? Only 60,000 of the 220,000 sat for a physics exam.
(vi) One day, maybe in 2008, the Ministry will have a website where students will get their complete results, by entering in their index number and a PIN. That way, anxious parents and kids won’t have to spend a fortune making frantic phone calls to schools for results.

Cultural side-trip

The 2005 Kenyan edition of the V monologues was held at the Carnivore grounds on Saturday. However, the Ugandan show will not take place as it has been banned by the First Lady, Janet Museveni – said one of the organizers.

Coming Soon: From Sunday Nation 13/2 Buzz mag p4A new play called ‘Simbi Nyaima’ opened at the Kenya National Theatre over the weekend, produced by Alwan Communications and directed by Alfred Wandago, who also directed ‘Naliaka is going.’

However, Government spokesman, Dr. Alfred Mutua, was not impressed with the film – describing it as “mediocre, and needed to be polished before being screened,” also that ”it was marked with poor lighting and actors appear as though they were on stage, not screen”. Adds, Dr. Mutua, “I am soon releasing a classic movie I did in Dubai and I believe many producers will want to borrow a leaf to tighten this stuff”