Private Higher Education Sector Warns Regulatory Criteria Threaten Institutional Viability
By Staff Writer
(Nairobi, Kenya) — Leaders of private higher education institutions have raised serious concerns regarding newly introduced re-registration requirements and policy frameworks, warning that stringent state criteria are pushing private colleges toward closure rather than fostering institutional expansion.
The grievances were presented during a consultative forum jointly organized by the Association of Private Higher Education and Technical and Vocational Training Institutions, the Ministry of Education, and the Education and Training Authority. Association representatives emphasized that while private institutions are expected to compete with state-funded universities, regulatory disparities and bureaucratic burdens hinder fair competition and operational sustainability.
Addressing the forum, Association President Dr. Molla Tsegay noted that numerous accredited private institutions have been granted temporary six- to twelve-month grace periods to comply with newly established criteria, which many have struggled to satisfy. Dr. Molla questioned the feasibility of the standards, observing that if public universities face challenges meeting similar benchmarks, private institutions cannot reasonably be expected to fulfill them without proportional state support and regulatory flexibility. While affirming that the association does not defend non-compliant or illegal entities, he urged authorities to craft supportive frameworks that account for private sector realities.
Dr. Molla further highlighted a widespread decline in student enrollment across both public and private higher education sectors, attributing part of the downturn to the recent institutionalization of the remedial university entrance program. He recommended reviewing university entry cut-off thresholds to address enrollment shortfalls. Addressing exit exam results, Association Board Member Dr. Terefe Feyera called for a comprehensive study into pass-rate variations, emphasizing that uniform grading systems should account for structural differences between public and private learning environments.
In response, Ministry of Education representative Dr. Iba Mijena stated that comprehensive policy studies and legal reforms are underway to strengthen private sector capacity. He urged private colleges to differentiate their academic offerings rather than replicating public university curricula, noting that the country’s 47 public universities currently function with excessive program overlap.
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