1. University Academic & Social Support
to Students with Difficulties: Insights
from Moi University, Kenya
Prof. Bob Wishitemi
Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research &
Extension)
Paper presented at IAU Conference, 16th – 18th
Nov 2011, Safari Park Hotel (Nbi), Kenya

2. Higher Education in Kenya: A context
• Higher Education in Kenya, like in other African
countries is a recent phenomenon
• HE has expanded rapidly from one public university in
1970 to current 7
• New public universities are being created
• Diverse implications for HE in different contexts
• Varied manifestations/developments in Africa
• Africa responds in ways peculiar to its circumstances
• Role of Africa's HEIs in social, economic, Pol.
Dev.
• Ability to change/induce change in society
• New opportunities, attendant risks &
challenges - How do we grapple/respond?

3. Knowledge vs Vision 2030
Kenya’s Vision 2030 seeks to transform the country
into a Newly Industrialized Country (NIC) by the year
2030. Knowledge has been identified as the driver
of Kenya’s Vision 2030
KNOWLEDGE (EDUCATION}

4. Challenges
• the failure of the HE system to stimulate industrialization,
accelerate sustained economic growth and reduce over
reliance on agriculture;
• apparent lack of innovation and creativity among the
graduates of the HE system; and
• inability of the country to respond to economic, social,
political and natural shocks, including disasters attributed to
climate change.
• Weak institutional capacities-Research/human capacity/
Curricular innovations
• Declining funding
• Governance challenges
• Quality and diversity of academic programs
• Unequal access at all levels

5. The challenge of Access to HE
• Increasing demand for higher education
About 50,000 students miss university places
annually- will increase to 160,000 by 2015
• Socio-economic factors e.g. deepening of
poverty
• Rising cost of living (HE more expensive)
• Family backgrounds of learners & inadequate
safety nets for disadvantages students
• Maintaining quality, ensuring equity
& affordability

6. The challenge of Access to HE
• Overstretched loan scheme-HELB & lack of
diversification of funding mechanisms
• Exclusionary practices
• Regional disparities
• Early marriages
• The impacts of HIV/AIDS
• Government making steps to expand
higher education to provide more
access
• More financial support to the loans
board

7. Insights from Moi University
MOI UNIVERSITY
ISO 9001: 2008 CERTIFIED

8. Insights from Moi University
Background
• Moi University was established in 1984 as
second university in Kenya
• Objective of establishment
was to expand access after
demand exceeded capacity
of University of Nairobi.
• Student
population has
grown from 83
to 28,000
within 25 Yrs!

9. Insights from Moi University
Background
• Located in a rural set up in Eldoret,
340 Kms from Nairobi
• A comprehensive university with
diversity of academic programs
ranging from Medicine,
Engineering, Arts, Humanities,
Business, Aerospace Sciences,
Information Sciences etc
• Currently there are 13 Schools in
total

10. Unique Programmes
Aerospace Sciences
Textile Engineering
Telecommunications
Engineering
Chemical and
Process Engineering
Telemedicine

11. Support to students with financial
difficulties
• HELB
• Financial support programs such as Rattansi
• Work study programs to enable poor students
get income to supplement their resources
• Fees waiver to students in dire need
• Fund raising by university community to aid
disadvantaged students
• Support to refugee students
(Currently there are 38 refugee
students from neighboring countries)

12. The role of IGERD
• Established in 2003 to promote gender
development in the university
• Advocates and promotes gender equity
through affirmative action
• Promotes development of gender policies
• Promotes education of ‘the girl child’

13. Work study programs
• The university has established work study
programs to support needy students
• These are tenable within the library, catering
services, specialized labs and extension
projects
• This enables students to earn additional
income
• Supplement their needs and
learning costs

14. University links with industry/ private
sector
• Links between University and private sector
can play an important role in supporting
disadvantaged students
• The university has created links and
collaborations with companies and industries
for mutual benefit.
• Some include support to students
e.g links with Safaricom, Bamburi
cement, e.t.c.

15. Career advisory centre
• The university has establishes a career advisory
centre
–Professional talks
–Advice to students on placements
–Internships
–Liaison with prospective employers
–Priority to students with dire needs
(financial)

16. Support to students with
disabilities/physically challenged
• Collaborations with the Kenya Society for the blind
• To develop programmes for special needs in education
• Supportive facilities e.g. Braille, special computers e.t.c
• Infrastructure (Buildings have been modified to
accommodate physically challenged.
• Inclusive nature of curriculum – No discrimination
• Uphold the philosophy that disability is not inability
• University recognizes the fact that they have
potential and goals to achieve.

17. Distribution of Moi University Colleges
Providing more & Campuses
opportunities…
Taking Education to the
people!

18. Providing more opportunities…
• ICT Inter-campus Connectivity

19. Providing more
opportunities…
• E-Library (Sharing of e-resources)

20. Providing more
opportunities…
• E-Learning Platform
– Marginally disadvantaged students can easily access
content without having to incur much costs

21. Providing more opportunities through
PSSP programs
• Most universities in Kenya have established the
Privately Sponsored Students Program
• It opens up opportunities for access to students who
would have otherwise missed university education.
• Currently about 15,000 students are enrolled within
this program at Moi University
• Funds generated from this program are used to
develop infrastructure within the university
• Part of it is ploughed back for the welfare
of the students

22. Extension and outreach programs
• Moi University is a rural based institution
• It has strong outreach and extension services
• Most university projects involve the community
• The Ampath project…
• VLIR Project
• Community Based Medical training.
• Legal aid clinics
• All these provide opportunities for students to gain
more learning opportunities
• Some of these projects such as Ampath and VLIR
support students through training opportunities

23. RIVATEX
 University encourages entrepreneurship for technology transfer
through outreach programmes such as Rivatex East Africa Ltd
 The factory provides practical training to students
 Employment to the community and promotion of
agricultural development in the cotton industry
 Research opportunities to staff and partners

24. Providing an enabling learning
environment
• Building capacities of learners to enable them
succeed
• Provision of support facilities e.g health facilities
• Support to learners with challenges and special
needs
• Attract and reward talented staff
• Problem- based learning engages learners to solve
real-life issues – This assists learners to
share knowledge – those with disabilities
are able to learn from their colleagues

25. CONCLUSION – Way Forward
• Need for government to formulate policies that
guarantee the establishment of centers of
excellence in institutions of higher learning
• Promote ‘self-paced’ learning
• Develop Institutional mechanisms to support
needy/disadvantaged students
• Admission policies should articulate criteria for
attracting disadvantaged students

26. CONCLUSION - No more exclusion
We have to respond
Provide oportunities/mitigate
risks
Not a time for more isolation!

27. THANK
YOU