University expansion threatens vocational training

By Maina Waruru. Concern is growing in Kenya’s higher education sector that the country may soon face a critical shortage of mid-level professionals and technicians, due to the rapid expansion of public universities that are swallowing up institutions offering vocational qualifications.
The trend, which started in the late 1990s when the country had only three public universities, has seen the number of public universities and their constituent colleges grow to nearly 30, as demand for higher education has soared.
The establishment of some 20 private universities has intensified competition for students, and pressurised public institutions to expand, diversify the courses they offer and build facilities they struggle to afford. More...