By <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ishmael-munene-205098">Ishmael Munene</a>, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/northern-arizona-university-764">Northern Arizona University</a>

Vice-chancellors of Kenya’s 33 public universities are demanding a three-fold <a href="https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20190304130216137">tuition fee increase</a>. They <a href="https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20190304130216137">point out</a> that the proposed fee increase will merely meet the actual cost of providing university education. 

Set 30 years ago, the current fee structure applies to all degree programmes irrespective of actual instructional cost. Over <a href="https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2001231157/report-quality-of-kenyan-graduates-from-public-universities-wanting">49,000 students graduate</a> from public universities annually.

The proposed increase is a reflection of the changing landscape in financing university education in Kenya. The once financially healthy universities are in financial straits, putting in doubt their long-term sustainability.

Most public universities are unable to meet basic operating expenses such as salaries, pensions, health care, and maintenance of plant and equipment. The flagship University of Nairobi, for instance, has a debt of 1.6 billion Kenya shillings (US$16 million) in <a href="https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20190213104207905">unpaid pensions and other statutory contributions</a>. The total <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.6017/ihe.2019.97.10789">debt</a> of the 33 public institutions is around 110 billion Kenya shillings (US$1.10 billion). That’s equivalent to the state’s budgetary allocation over one year. The <a href="https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20181129132142395">government spends</a> around 27% of its budget on education. Universities get around 100.3 billion (US$1.03 billion) compared to 200 billion (US$ 2 billion) for basic education. 

To manage the debt burden, universities have <a href="https://www.nation.co.ke/news/education/Amina-asks-varsities-to-lay-off-staff-in-cost-cutting-bid/2643604-4736934-78f8gwz/index.html">come under pressure to downsize</a> their bloated non-essential staff. They have also introduced a range of <a href="https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20180824074737190">austerity measures</a>. The effect has been a decline in morale.

A tuition increase will provide much needed revenue to stabilise university finances. Universities are likely to use the extra funds in a number of ways. These could include improving the morale of both academic and administrative staff, improving the quality of instruction and better maintenance of plant and equipment.

But the proposed tuition increase comes with risks. A one-size-fits all raise fails to take into account the cost differential of various degree programmes. Medical, engineering and construction programmes, for instance, cost more than humanities and social sciences. Tuition fees should reflect these differences. If they don’t, under-investment in costly programmes will continue. 

In addition, the tuition increase shouldn’t happen in isolation. It should be matched with a commitment by the government to restore university funding to previous levels. This will ensure that a bigger burden of financing universities doesn’t fall on students. 

<h2>Diminishing revenue</h2>

The gloomy financial picture contrasts sharply with the healthy financial position that public universities enjoyed a decade ago. Then, universities had balanced budgets and even surpluses. 

In 2011, for instance, total revenues earned by universities through tuition fees, programme fees and other income generating activities slightly exceeded government funding. 

From 2010 to 2011 <a href="https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/corporate/Public-universities-revenues-hit-record-level/539550-1190922-nvump5/index.html">revenue growth</a> in the five top public universities ranged from 2% – 21%. 

There were a number of reasons <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.6017/ihe.2019.97.10789">for the financial crisis</a>. These included diminishing revenue from privately-sponsored students who were a source much needed tuition revenues. Privately-sponsored students who did not attain the required high school graduation points to be awarded government scholarships. So they pay the full tuition in public universities. 

The other reasons included declining government funding, closure of satellite campuses, and more stringent supervision of high school examinations that has reduced the number of university applicants and, therefore, fewer university enrolments. 

In addition, poor financial management, and universities inability to develop robust income generating activities, and overall growth of the university institutions relative to demand have compromised university finances. 

The fee increase <a href="https://www.nation.co.ke/news/education/VCs-want-student-fees-increased-/2643604-4995414-10xygjp/index.html">proposal</a> doesn’t come close to covering the actual cost of a basic non-science degree. And universities argue that the fees aren’t enough meet the increasing costs of providing quality education and running the institutions.

<h2>Opportunity for reform</h2>

I believe that by simply introducing a blanket tuition increase without addressing the problems ailing the public university sector, the government is missing a golden opportunity for much deeper reform.

Increasing tuition fees without consolidation of the public university sector is throwing good money after bad. The government should face the fact that a good number of public universities were established to give the government political legitimacy because they were <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1057%2Fhep.2012.18">established for political expediency</a> in 2012-2013. Quite a few operate under capacity.

In addition, the proposed tuition rate increase was arrived at without broad consultations with key stakeholders. The whole process has been administrator-driven. As a result, students have <a href="https://www.nation.co.ke/news/education/University-students-threaten-to-hold-demos-over-fees-/2643604-4998644-lq4i2gz/index.html">threatened</a> to go on strike while academics have <a href="http://dailyactive.info/index.php/2019/03/05/lecturers-reject-vice-chancellors-plea-to-increase-university-fee/">called for a review</a>. 

Another problem is that the vice-chancellors’ fee increase proposal comes with no safeguards to mitigate its effects on poor students. Students from disadvantaged backgrounds experience difficulties even with the current fee structure. Without a clear specification of financial aid programmes for vulnerable students, the fee proposal will only make a bad situation worse.

Any tuition fee increase needs to be undertaken in the wider context of reforming the financing of university education in Kenya. A knee jerk policy like the one proposed by the vice-chancellors leaves too many policy challenges unresolved.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/115149/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important" />

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ishmael-munene-205098">Ishmael Munene</a>, Professor of Research, Foundations &#038; Higher Education, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/northern-arizona-university-764">Northern Arizona University</a>

This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/kenyas-universities-need-deep-reform-not-just-a-hike-in-fees-115149">original article</a>.

Why universities in this East African country are in need of deep reform

<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="http://cnbc.africa/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Morocco-PxHere1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-328610" width="671" height="503"/><figcaption>The first university in Africa was founded in Morocco. Image by PxHere.</figcaption></figure>



By Nnamdi Oranye



When we think of where the University came
from, most of us probably think back to the oldest institutions we know &#8211;
perhaps Oxford in England. Or perhaps we think of the top Universities of the
world, like Harvard. We think of how a group of men had a passion for education
and began these amazing institutions. We think of how much we need to thank the
Western world for the University. Certainly the University is one of the most
groundbreaking and important innovations of all time. 



But was it a Western innovation? Actually, as the facts show, the innovation of the University comes from Africa. Morocco, to be exact. The story of Fatima al-Fihri (Al-<g class="gr_ gr_11 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="11" data-gr-id="11">Fihriya</g>), a Moroccan Muslim woman from Fez, who was born in 800 A.D., is one practically no one hears about. When her father passed away he left money to both her and her sister. She used this inheritance to establish the University of Al Qarawiynn in 859 C.E., which is still existent today &#8211; 1160 years later. 



It is, as a result, the oldest continually operating educational institute in the world &#8211; the first institution to award degrees for different levels of study. The original courses offered were in Islamic Studies, mathematics, grammar, and medicine. It is one of the largest tertiary institutions in North Africa and includes a library with over 4000 manuscripts.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Breaking through cultural limitations</h2>



Think about this for a moment. Here is a woman
in 859 C.E. breaking through all her cultural limitations of her time and
disrupting history for the last 1160 years. One innovation, the University, has
spawned millions of other innovations &#8211; millions of people who have innovated
in many, many other industries. Without Fatima, would there be a Harvard or a
Stanford or an Oxford today? Without and African woman breaking through all the
limitations of her time?



“The darkest thing about Africa,” said George
H.T. Kimble, “has always been our ignorance of it.” This is true for not only
our geography, which was Kimble’s main concern, but for practically every
aspect of our continent. What is even worse is so many Africans themselves are
ignorant of what’s really going on in Africa. We need to change our own
mindsets towards Africa and innovation going on in Africa.



Fatima’s legacy is one that we as Africans can draw inspiration from. In our time, there are a million limitations we are constantly put up against. There is always a reason why our innovations don’t matter as much; why we ought not to think out the box; why we should let the world dictate to us what we should do and how we should move forward. Like Fatima’s legacy &#8211; one we don’t read in the ordinary history books &#8211; we are facing a similar dilemma now: No recognition and a great deal of ignorance, yet we live in an extremely disruptive landscape.&nbsp; 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">She used her mind &amp; imagination</h2>



Malcolm Gladwell says, “If you work hard enough and assert yourself, and use your mind and imagination, you can shape the world to your desires.” Fatima obviously worked hard. She obviously asserted herself. She obviously used her mind and her imagination &#8211; and built something that would allow millions to do the same. Like her, we need to start to know what’s going on in the world, what’s happening on the ground in Africa, and use our mind and imagination together with hard work and asserting ourselves in this world &#8211; as individuals and as a collective of Africans.



How did Fatima view the future? It’s worth
thinking about what motivated her. Because the big question is: how do you view
the future? Do you know where it is going? Do you like where it’s going? Do you
know how you can influence where it’s going &#8211; and be a part of where it’s
going? What will two or three generations from now say about your generation? 



These are questions that continue to plague
me, and excite me. Because, right now, we are standing on the cusp of many
opportunities. All we need to do is think differently and see how things all
fit together. As leaders and experts and entrepreneurs, it’s no longer good
enough to just know ‘your thing’. We need to have a horizontal view across
industries to help inform our vertical view in our particular industry. We need
to connect industries, innovations, and people together; think differently; and
create new ecosystems, just like Fatima and her university did. It’s great to
major in your profession, but every profession is an interconnected part of the
whole. Whatever your main work or whatever your side hustle may be, the picture
is bigger than you think &#8211; and therein lies plenty of opportunity for you and
for all of us, together.



Think bigger. It’s time to know your change
and it’s time to step into it.

Op-Ed: Why The World Owes Education to an African Woman﻿

Seth Trudeau and Keno Omu | African Leadership University
Across Africa, students arrive on campuses full of hope that a university degree will improve their lives. The reality is far less certain.
In 2014, a British Council study estimated Nigeria’s graduate unemployment at 23.1%. In Kenya, it takes an average of five years for a graduate to find a job. Yet business leaders frequently say there are jobs – just a lack of skilled talent to do them. How can this be?
There are two commonly cited explanations. The first is that financial, human capital and infrastructure constraints have a negative impact on the range and quality of skills students graduate with. The second is the disconnect between what universities teach and the skills needed in the market.
However, another more fundamental explanation has to do with howstudents are educated, irrespective of what they study or the resource constraints they face. How students learn matters to employers because it shapes how they think and what they do at work.
A growing number of employers are no longer looking for graduates with the most impressive degree certificates. In fact, trailblazers like Ernst &amp; Young have removed degree classifications from their entry requirements because they do not believe that academic success is always a sign of professional success.
<h2>A new kind of graduate</h2>
Employers are now looking for graduates who can think for themselves, integrate into fast-paced work environments, learn new ways of working and develop creative solutions to real problems. These abilities depend more on how they were taught than what they learned.
We are at a unique moment in the history of education. Information was once scarce but is now everywhere. In the last 15 years, we have also made a giant leap forward in our understanding of how the brain works and how people learn. These developments have radically altered the way we think about higher education.
In the traditional university model, “learning” meant access to information and knowledge, education resources and teaching expertise. Today, technology has made it easier for anyone to get information, knowledge and learning resources.
The advantage retained by the traditional university is in producing and organising knowledge. But academic researchers form a very small percentage of the knowledge workers needed in the information age.
<h2>Time to revisit old models</h2>
Universities need to rethink their approach to learning if they are to produce people with the critical thinking, leadership, collaboration and problem solving skills needed for modern life.
Learning in many African universities still happens in large lecture halls and rewards the ability to remember and repeat information. Researchers such as Nobel Prize winning physicist Carl Wieman have shown that this is one of the least effective  ways of learning.
Effective learning takes three things. First, students must be able to reflect on what they are learning. Reflection helps students assess what they know and what they don’t. It also helps them to integrate new ideas and concepts into their body of knowledge. When students reflect, they strengthen the neural pathways in their brain, and build new pathways that link information that was previously not associated. These links enable critical thinking.
Second, true learning happens when students stop being passive recipients of information and become active experimenters. When students take an active part, they take responsibility for the results and ensure that learning is relevant to them. They develop habits that help them learn later in life, such as self-regulation, motivation and curiosity.
Third, learning happens when students apply new concepts or skills. This is the most natural test for a student’s comprehension of what they are studying. Doing something, receiving feedback about it, refining the approach and then doing it again also builds neural pathways for retrieval and association.
Universities are the planning stage for a society’s aspirations. African universities must begin to produce employable leaders who will meet the challenges that are hindering the continent’s progress. To produce graduates with the appropriate skills and ways of thinking, they will have to change the way they see, design and assess learning.

Op-Ed: Are graduates prepared for the job market? Rethinking Africa’s university model

A protest against prohibitive fees threatens to derail South Africa&#8217;s university calendar but impoverished students like Mmakatleho Sefatsa, who already face expulsion over unpaid bills, say they have nothing to lose.
The African National Congress (ANC) came to power in 1994 with promises to provide better housing, health and education for millions of blacks shut out during decades of repressive white minority rule.
But two decades later, 19-year-old Sefatsa&#8217;s dream of becoming her family&#8217;s first graduate hangs in the balance due to overdue payments, prompting her to take part in sometimes violent protests demanding free tertiary education.
&#8220;I owe the university close to 70,000 rand ($5,000) in tuition as it stands,&#8221; said the second-year education student at Johannesburg&#8217;s University of the Witwatersrand (Wits).
&#8220;Even if you don&#8217;t protest, at the end of the year the university is still going to send you a letter to say: &#8216;look you haven&#8217;t paid for two years, you have to leave&#8217;.&#8221;
Universities suspended classes this week after clashes in which police fired stun grenades, rubber bullets and tear gas at stone-throwing students.
The protests came after President Jacob Zuma&#8217;s government said it would continue subsidising university costs for the poorest students but could not afford free education for all.
The family income cut-off for financial aid means Sefatso is not poor enough to qualify &#8211; but her grandfather&#8217;s pension cannot cover her schooling bills of 70,000 rand a year, forcing her to sleep in the library some nights and rely on handouts from friends to buy food.
Because her two older siblings combined earn 240,000 rand a year &#8211; considered part of her household income &#8211; Sefatso was told she does not qualify for the financial aid given to those from households earning 160,000 rand or less.
&#8220;I explained to them that they don’t live with me and they are not my parents. But they have been giving me a run around,&#8221; she said. &#8220;I don’t have any hope.&#8221;
The trap Sefatso is caught in is commonplace &#8211; students not poor enough for free education but not wealthy enough to pay, in a group labeled the &#8216;missing middle&#8217;.
Undergraduate tuition fees at Wits, one of South Africa&#8217;s most expensive universities, range from 29,620-58,580 rand a year, beyond the means of many black students.
 
FEES FROZEN
Statistics South Africa data shows that university fees have soared by 80 percent since 2008, leading to the initial batch of protests last year that forced Zuma to scrap proposed increases for 2016.
But universities whose main source of income is fees say another price freeze next year would hurt their efforts to maintain high quality academic standards.
The government, grappling with a budget deficit of nearly 4 percent of GDP, has capped 2017 fee increases for next year at 8 percent, but says education subsidies should not come at the expense of other sectors such as health and housing.
The Treasury allocated nearly 300 billion rand to education this year, 20 percent of the budget and almost double spending on health.
To try to ease the pressure on university numbers, the government is trying to push students into cheaper vocational colleges where they can train to be plumbers, car mechanics and carpenters, among other trades.
But for many, this just perpetuates the racial inequalities of apartheid, where universities were the preserve of whites and blacks could aspire only to blue-collar jobs.
&#8220;The government has let us down. We have the will, we have the brains but we don&#8217;t have the money to study,&#8221; said Sihle Booi, a 22-year-old law student who fears getting kicked out of university over 50,000 rand of unpaid fees.
 
HARD GRAFT
The funding crisis is also damaging the ANC politically with many students linking it to the spread of corruption under Zuma.
The Constitutional Court ruled this year that Zuma flouted the law by ignoring an order to repay some of the 250 million rand in state funds spent on improvements to his private home.
Voters angry about corruption, unemployment and shoddy basic services then gave the ANC a bloody nose in August local elections, turning to opposition parties such as the Democratic Alliance, seen as a largely &#8220;white&#8221; party, and the leftist Economic Freedom Fighters.
&#8220;The demand for free education is just the tip of a deeper iceberg of frustration and anger among young people over broken promises, delivery failures, corruption, arrogance,&#8221; NKC African Economics political analyst Gary van Staden said.
&#8220;What you are dealing with here is enormous frustration that goes way beyond the fees. There is a general disappointment with the political system.&#8221;
($1 = 13.90 rand)﻿

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Why universities in this East African country are in need of deep reform

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