| dc.description.abstract | This article argues that since the achievement of independence in Kenya, higher education was
free with public expenditure covering tuition and students' living allowances, development costs,
instruction and research needs. This was on the basis that such state subsidies of higher education
would among other things, enhance the country's desire to create highly trained personnel which
could replace colonial administrators as well as ensuring some equity of access. However, since
the economic crisis of the early seventies experienced by many of the African countries,
universities started facing serious problems of funding both from the donor agencies and their
governments. The study essablished that the continued decline in funding led many universities
to diversify their sources of funds which have included, the students' loan scheme and
privatization of teaching programmes, it has adversely impacted on the quality of instructional
programmes with shortages of highly qualified persoanel, due to the abolition of staff
development training, increase in the number of private Universities and private students in
public universities, challenges of the Commission for Higher Education in sustaining quality
assurance, and limited access to teaching support materials and equipment as well as
infrastructure. It is recommended that as the ovemment was instrumental in the expansion
public universities, it needs to substantially increase its funding to the institutions as they also
embark on promoting and enhancing partnerships with the private sector which is a common
practice among Western universities.
Key words: Kenya, Funding Higher Education, Public Universities, Quality Assurance | en_US |
