Quality regulation in expansion of educational systems: a case of privately sponsored students’ programme in Kenya’s public universities

Abstract

This paper examines the expansion and management of quality of parallel programmes in Kenya’s public universities. The study is based on Privately Sponsored Students Programmes (PSSP)at Moi University and its satellite campuses in Kenya. The study was descriptive in nature and adopted an ex-post facto research design. The study sample consisted of 460 privately sponsored students from all schools and campuses of Moi University and 140 teaching and non-teaching staff. A stratified random sampling procedure was used to identify the schools and the students while purposive sampling was used to identify the staff. Data collection was done using questionnaires for students and staff while administrators of schools and satellite campuses were interviewed. The study established thatthere are acute challenges in the managementof the PSSP which impact on the quality of educational programmes under the parallel and privately sponsored students’ programmes. Quality has been compromised. One of the challenges is the expansion in terms of increase in students’ number and satellite campuses in early every city in Kenya. The study further points out some mechanisms that could be adopted to ensure quality in the stated programmes in all public Universities in Kenya. The study recommended that since the quality of programmes in Public universities has declined, universities should invest in facilities, activities and infrastructure that support learning/teaching as the university’s core mandate. Secondly that public universities need to adhere to the established quality regulatory mechanisms in place to assure the students and other stakeholders of education of the quality of the education offered at universities. The recommendations from the study should be utilized by policy makers in Public Universities to come up with policies that address the shortcomings and in the process improve and meet the demand for quality education in those universities.