Lecturers petition Parliament to stop varsities merger bid

University staff have petitioned Parliament to stop the ongoing plans to merge some of the 74 universities and campuses.

The University Academic Staff Union (Uasu) says the process lacks consultations and wants lawmakers to recommend the establishment of an educational commission or task force to deliberate on the merger.

Uasu Secretary-General Constantine Wasonga in a letter to Clerk of the National Assembly dated July 17, said the public should debate the issue before the State implements any university merger.

“Universities academic staff are, therefore, extremely concerned that the proposed mergers of public universities are either aligned with any national educational policy goal or principle,” said Dr Wasonga in the petition the Parliament has received.

The merger of universities and campuses as well review of academic courses mean job losses for some of the staff. Public universities have 27,000 staff with 9,000 being lecturers.

He said there is a further concern that some universities have started eliminating some disciplines, departments and schools in anticipation of the proposed merger.