Universities Disappointed As First International Annual Conference Is Abruptly Canceled.
University administrators have expressed their disappointment after the last-minute cancellation of an international meeting scheduled to begin today.
The theme of the First International Annual Conference, “Sustainable Universities for National Transformation,” was set to run for three days at a Mombasa hotel.
Delegates from all public and private universities were required to attend the meeting, which included a vice-chancellor, chancellor, and principals of constituent colleges.
Senior Ministry of Education officials, international speakers, and representatives from other government agencies were also invited to the high-level meeting.
The conference’s organizers stated that the venue had been secured and the necessary expenses had been incurred.
VCs said they had also purchased plane tickets, reserved hotel rooms, and traveled to the coastal city.
However, a few hours before the meeting, the ministry canceled it with a one-paragraph memo.
“We regret to inform you that the above-mentioned conference has been deferred due to unavoidable circumstances. New dates for the conference will be communicated in due time,” reads the memo by Simon Nabukwesi, University Education PS.
The reason for the meeting’s cancellation was not immediately clear.
According to inside sources, a consultative meeting held on Tuesday between Education CS George Magoha and PS Nabukwesi resolved to cancel the meeting.
In a phone interview, Nabukwesi explained that the cancellation was due to ‘unavoidable circumstances beyond our control.’
A reflection on the Transformation of Education and the Impact of Universities in Kenya was one of the key topics on the agenda.
Governance and the Law, Education Mandate, Human Resource Management, and Sustainable Financing of Public Universities were to be discussed under this theme.
According to inside sources, a consultative meeting held on Tuesday between Education CS George Magoha and PS Nabukwesi resolved to cancel the meeting.
In a phone interview, Nabukwesi explained that the cancellation was due to ‘unavoidable circumstances beyond our control.’
A reflection on the Transformation of Education and the Impact of Universities in Kenya was one of the key topics on the agenda.
Governance and the Law, Education Mandate, Human Resource Management, and Sustainable Financing of Public Universities were to be discussed under this theme.
“We are not happy with the development because this was a major meeting that should have interrogated critical sector issues,” said one of the VCs from a top university.
Six conference objectives were outlined in the program’s details.
The purpose of the meeting was to define the roles of stakeholders in transformational public university education, as well as to develop aspirations and shared visions in governance, legislation, and other regulations that can help public university education ensure efficiency in governance and optimal operations/functions.
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The meeting also aimed to develop strategies for debt reduction and sustainability, as well as to foster benchmarking with best practices from around the world in human resource and revenue generation that supports academic programs for increased efficiency.
University administrators were also tasked with developing an appropriate structure for student placement and funding in public universities.
The conference was also intended to plan for a strategic response to the ongoing changes in the education sector, particularly the implications of CBC implementation on university curricula.
