These institutions are situated in local communities that historically provided
the initial capital for their initiation and establishment. Many of them were
elevated during President Mwai Kibaki’s second administration between the years
2008 and 2012.
Political
leaders at the time scrambled and lobbied the President for the establishment
of these elite institutions in their respective constituencies or regions.
The
communities thus felt a strong sense of ownership over these otherwise public
entities. Coincidentally, a number of the institutions acquired local community
or ethnic names as their official tittles. These circumstances have on many
occasions caused tension that sometimes turn violent.
The National
Cohesion and Integration Commission has several times cited universities as not
complying with the provisions of the NCIC Act guiding employment.
At the Meru
University of Science and Technology, local community and political leaders
organised to have the vice chancellor Romanus Odhiambo sacked.
Their contention
was that the university belongs to them and thus must reserve slots for goods
and services supply, employment and student admission. It took the violent
protest of the students to reinstate Odhiambo.
This and many
similar events serve to demonstrate that universities are becoming bastions of
tribal chauvinism. This does not augur well for national unity and patriotism.
It may easily turn into a governance crisis during the period leading to the
2027 general election. Since most if not all curricula are not infused with the
values of nationhood and principles of good citizenship, universities and Tvets
must design innovative and fit for purpose programmes that would mitigate the
risk of ethnic profiling in the institutions. This will be extremely useful in
the prevailing toxic political environment.
Traditionally,
universities were learning centres established to provide education that was
liberal and utopian. In the good old times, civilisations determined what type
of knowledge was transmitted to the people.
Civilised societies were stratified
and segregated people into class systems. Each class received special education
necessary for their role in the society.
Those who belonged to the trading class were given training in business
and commerce. Those born into royalty were trained in disciplines that enhanced
their leadership capabilities.
While some
others were inducted into technical crafts that enabled them support the
infrastructural development of the society. Then there were those who trained
in military skills for the defence of the realm.
In this period, such trainings
were offered by philosophers in the monarch’s court. Education in ancient
Greece focused on paideia—the holistic development of a citizen—and varied
drastically by city-state. Athens emphasised a well-rounded mind and body
through private tutors. Conversely, Sparta enforced a brutal, state-run
military camp called the agoge to forge elite warriors.
Education in the
Roman Empire was not state-funded; it was largely private, class-dependent and
heavily focused on rote memorisation and practical training.
Wealthy families
hired private tutors or sent boys to formal schools, while lower-class children
received little to no schooling, learning trades through apprenticeships
instead. The Roman educational journey was deeply influenced by Greek methods
and was broken down into distinct stages based on age, social class and gender.
Young men from wealthy families and aristocrats preparing for careers in
politics, the military, or law advanced to specialised schools of rhetoric. The
focus of the curriculum shifted entirely to public speaking, law, philosophy
and the art of persuasion to mold them into effective civic leaders.
For the
poorer majority, there was no structured or standardised system. While some
lower-class children picked up basic literacy, most did not attend formal
schools. Instead, they entered the labour force early, working in agriculture
or trade and learning a specific craft via apprenticeships.
The world's
first university was established in 859 CE in Fez, Morocco, as a mosque and
madrasa (Islamic school) by Fatima al-Fihri, an educated woman who used her
inherited wealth to build it. Over centuries, it expanded into a leading
degree-granting centre for theology, medicine and mathematics.
Because
"university" definitions vary, the establishment of higher education
differs based on what type of institution is being referenced. The University
of Bologna in Italy is widely considered the oldest university in the
Western world.
Established in 1088,
it created the term "universitas" (meaning a guild of students) and
pioneered the structured curriculum and degree-awarding system we use today.
Later on, Oxford
and Cambridge universities were established in the Middle Ages as centres for
advanced religious and secular study. Oxford emerged first as a teaching hub in
1096.
Cambridge was founded shortly after in 1209 by scholars who fled Oxford
following violent disputes with local townsfolk. The two institutions were
established to standardise and elevate higher education in Europe, providing
specialised training in theology, philosophy and law. Below is the breakdown of
their establishment.
In the Middle Ages, there was a growing need to educate
clergy and administrators. Scholars and masters gathered in these specific
locations to form communities of learning and teach the liberal arts, theology
and Roman law.
The contemporary
university has evolved into a dynamic engine of global progress, transforming
from a traditional repository of knowledge into a multifaceted institution. Its
primary role is to drive socioeconomic development through high-level
education, groundbreaking scientific research and community engagement.
Having
recognised the importance of education in general and of higher education in
the socioeconomic development of the continent, African governments have
declared the 21st century as a knowledge era.
It is on the basis of
such convictions about and anticipations on university education that many governments
have laboured over the years to improve access, quality and relevance of
university education.
This has culminated in the ‘massification’ of higher
education across many countries, including those of Africa in general and Kenya
in particular. Through the Sessional Paper No. 1 of 2005, universities and
technical training institutes have been established in almost every county.
The increase in
the numbers of universities have since ensured that all the high school
candidates who qualify for university education get admission and government
sponsorship to pursue higher education. These are young men and women who are
technology savvy.
They are also susceptible to local and global radicalisation
activities. This has been and will continue to pose a serious security
challenge to the managers and government at large. Institutions of higher
learning situated in the rural areas will face higher risks of ethnic
hostilities.
While the need to satisfy local community needs cannot be gainsaid,
the university leadership must find strategies to inculcate virtues of
nationalism. Students and staff should be guided to and made to appreciate the
bounty of the cultural diversity of the nation.
This would make the university
community support national cohesion and integration across the country. The
synergy arising will stimulate academic
vigor and spur innovation.
Ultimately, the
most successful university systems serve as both engines of national
development and bastions of independent, critical thought, ensuring that the
pursuit of truth ultimately benefits society as a whole.
As they pursue their
mandates, universities should promote national interests, provided those
interests are broadly defined as advancing the public good. Institutions of higher
education are deeply intertwined with the prosperity and societal fabric of
their home countries, though they must balance this with their duty to global
knowledge and academic freedom.
Because they
rely heavily on public funding, universities have an implicit responsibility to
yield a return on investment through relevant research and community service.
In many countries, universities are vital for fostering social cohesion,
reducing ethnic or cultural biases and building a unified, patriotic citizenry
equipped to lead public institutions.
They also have a cardinal responsibility
to drive local innovation, supply skilled workforces and develop technology
that directly bolsters national competitiveness in the global economy.
