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Kenya: School Strives to Be Unique
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The Nation (Nairobi)
10 March 2008
Posted to the web 10 March 2008
Benson Amadala And Peter Ng'etich
Nairobi
Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology stands out as the youngest public university in the country, trying to distinguish itself in science-oriented disciplines.
The university situated in Kakamega is an offshoot of the former Western College of Arts and Applied Sciences founded in 1972 in response to the growing demand for vocational training.
The institution has attracted lecturers from more established schools since it got its charter a year ago.
And the number of students joining the university has shot up, including some from Eritrea, Congo, Rwanda and Uganda, an indication that it is offering what students want.
These programmes include Disaster Management, Criminology and Social Work, and Journalism and Mass Communication.
Racing against time
But the university has been racing against time to improve facilities and infrastructure.
The acting vice-chancellor of the university, Prof Barasa Wangila, says the institution has gone out of its way to avoid duplicating what already exists in other public universities in the country. New facilities which have been put in place include a tuition block, hostels, a catering unit and a laboratory.
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A modern library is in the works.
At the parent institution, Moi University, research funding is a big challenge, thus compromising the quality of graduates.
Lecturers through the University Academic Staff Union (Uasu) chairman, Dr Musalia Edebe, say the institution requires Sh1 billion for meaningful teaching and research, but it is forced to share the Sh100 million the Government allocates to all the seven public universities.
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