Matiang’i orders universities to shut down all satellite campuses

The government will not allow opening of any other satellite campuses in the country, Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i announced on Wednesday.

While releasing a report on the assessment of universities’ human resource ethnic balance, Dr Matiang’i said the quality of education in most constituent colleges of various universities was poor, hence, the need to regulate the opening of new campuses.

“We have to shut down satellite campuses in the country and we will not allow any opening of satellite campus anywhere in the country,” said Dr. Matiang’i.

Addressing chairs of university councils and vice-chancellors, the CS urged the university administrations to focus on bettering the institutions instead of coming up with satellite campuses.

Dr. Matiangi further urged the vice-chancellors to depart from hiring staffs on permanent and pensionable terms and focus on contract terms.

“The  staff establishment we have in our universities is clearly untenable and the ratio between technical to non-technical staff is untenable,” said Matiang’i. “We will carry on with a painful but necessary reform in the manner in which we will manage the staff establishment in our universities.”

Further, Matiang’i noted that some vice-chancellors were under pressure to employ staff allied to politicians.

“Vice chancellors are being exploited by politicians to employ their people, this should stop,” said Matiang’i.

The CS asked universities to conduct a review of their staff and do away with those that are not required.