Kisii University has closed its Nairobi campus, affecting more than 3,000 students who have been told they will finish their degrees online.
The university located in Kisii town cites financial problems.
“The university management board made a resolution to close down the Nairobi campus by June 30, 2020. It is against this background that we will do an audit of all the assets in the campus before they will be brought back to the main campus,” Kisii University deputy vice chancellor Joseph Mailutha said in a letter on June 24.
The letter is addressed to the chief internal auditor.
University registrar Joash Kerongo on June 23 asked the Nairobi campus director to terminate operations by June 30.
“Following the discussions and considerations by the university management board on the current operations of Nairobi campus, vide SPEC/UMB/07/06/2020, it was resolved that we close operations at the Nairobi campus by June, 30 2020,” Kerongo said.
He ordered the campus management to vacate the Corner House building where they operate by June 10.
“The new admissions at the campus should be for e-learning mode only, thus no admission for physical classes. That the university will rent a small space to serve as a coordination office for e-learning,” Kerongo said.
“The students already at the university to be advised to complete their programs via e-learning."
Students who spoke to the Star said that the campus management never consulted them.
They said they learned of the closure through a memo telling them that the management was removing the physical facility to enable them design a new e-learning centre.
“I want to assure you all that your documents and data are safe. We will continue to serve you. We request you to remain calm as we transition,” one lecturer said in WhatsApp group message.
The students protested missing marks and said they never got any transcripts, matters they raised in a meeting last Monday with the management.
They also want the school fees reduced since they will not be using university facilities such as the library and computer rooms.
Edited by Henry Makori