Halt universities’ decline

The latest poor international ranking reflects the declining performance of Kenyan universities. This is yet another wake-up call to the higher education sector to tackle the various challenges and restore the pride these institutions once enjoyed.

Our universities are trailing their regional counterparts in the global ranking by Times Higher Education. This assesses teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook using 17 performance indicators. Uganda’s Makerere University is the highest ranked in East Africa. It is in the 801-1,000 band.

The University of Nairobi (UoN) and Kenyatta University are the only Kenyan universities featured in the 2027 global rankings. UoN was placed in the 1,601-1800 category alongside Tanzania’s Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, and Kenyatta University featured in the 1,801-2,000 bracket.

Kenya’s academic prestige

Kenya has only two universities in the rankings against Tanzania’s three, and Ghana’s five. South Africa has 17 and Nigeria 29. This is damning for a country that has been a showcase of higher education in the region and on the continent, with a marked proliferation of institutions of higher learning.

This revelation is a deeply worrying trend in the higher education sector, in which this country has done so well for some years. A drop in international rankings serves as a stark reminder of tough challenges these institutions are facing.

And it, indeed, underscores the urgent need for comprehensive reforms to restore Kenya’s academic prestige as the best in higher learning in the region. To reverse this setback and restore institutional pride, the higher education authorities and the universities must confront the core challenges. 

Administrative inefficiencies and interference can stall crucial institutional reforms. Chronic underfunding severely hampers the building of adequate infrastructure, and modern learning facilities, and the provision of student services. This disturbing decline in education must be curbed.