By Daisy Okoti
Published May 29, 2023
In the years preceding independence in Kenya, University education was something to behold. The few who succeeded in acquiring University education commanded respect and were hailed as mentors and role models.
But, as University education became more and more available, people began taking it for granted and instead of moving towards academic excellence with University education, the road to University education in Kenya has become plagued with tension and worry especially from parents and guardians.
RELATED: Infusing Integrity in Child-Upbringing Creates Inspiring Adults
Young women do not bat an eyelid about confessing on various radio stations about dating older men for their money. A lot of money they say enables them ‘fit in’ with the rest. One of them was asked why she needed money beyond what would enable her pay her school fees and foot her hostel bills both of which were being taken care of by her parents on Kiss FM radio station and her answer was that; “To fit in. So that when my friends are buying recharge cards worth Sh 50, I buy one that is worth Sh 250.”
RELATED: Online Education Platform to Expand to 17 African Countries
The rate at which University education is depreciating is worrying. According to the criteria of selecting students who are joining universities, university students are supposed to be smart and intelligent young stars that performed brilliantly in their Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (K.C.S.E). Where does the intelligence go when they get to campus? Or do our campuses admit impostors; people who cannot think and make sound decisions? A university student is supposed to be universal, someone who can thrive anywhere in the universe and talking of the whole world, then things as class and racial differences are the order of the day. Competition is bound to come in and if we have young people in this country giving in to simple pressures such as buying the highest amount of recharge cards, then clearly we have a bigger problem looming for this country.
RELATED: School Uniform Symbol of Inclusion, Not Exclusion
It is hard to say that you are in University in this country and fail to get a suspicious look. One of the reasons for these strange glances is that the general reputation of tertiary institutions in Kenya is not good. Listening to radio and even reading newspapers leaves one with a pathetic idea of who the so called campus girl or campus boy is. The various images that have been created where University students are concerned is pathetic; a young girl going out with a married older man for his money, a girl who is partly a twilight girl for money, a girl who doesn’t prepare adequately for her examinations and simply sleeps with some lecturers for good grades, a young man getting ‘cosy’ with a sugar mummy for cash’s sake and so on. So what exactly is university education? Have universities finally become holiday grounds where young people spend time to party and experiment with all kinds of unimportant things as they wait to grow up?
This article was written in 2012
