A crisis in the education sector is looming in Samburu after the Ministry of Higher Education issued a closure notice of Laikipia University, Maralal campus.
The Commission of University Education is said to have issued a closure notice three months ago which was to expire by the end of August this year, after an inspection of the facility on the 9th of January 2016.
It is said that the commission gave the order of upgrade of the facility to required standards within a three month deadline that has since not been met due to lack of enough resources and the short time frame they were given.
The action has now sent students into a state of panic with them being unsure of their future at the institution, as some are set to graduate this year, with many others winding up their courses.
The County Executive in charge of education, Samburu County Peter Lolmodooni, has termed the situation as unfortunate as it will derail the education of many who depend on the institution.
"As a county government we are in a huge crisis because the facility is the only one of its kind in the Northern part of Kenya that accommodates students from Marsabit, Isiolo and Baringo among other neighboring counties which have no single university. It is and has been serving a big number of our youth and other government employees." he said.
The officer noted that they have been forced to intervene which is a challenge for the county to handle as the upgrade requires a huge budget that the Samburu County government could not handle within the given time frame.
"The much we could try as a government is through donation of land for expansion of the campus which we have done in collaboration with the local community. We have given out 600 acres of land and constructions are going on but we cannot take students there as they are incomplete as we speak. The County Executive added
The County is now calling upon the National Government through the Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang'i to intervene and support in bringing up of more infrastructure at the school's grounds, a duty that is said to be under its mandate via the Ministry of Education and Higher Learning.
Student officials at the campus led by the campus president Moses Letitoyia and his counterpart, William Leipele who is the director of welfare at the Laikipia University Maralal Campus told The Star that they have already organized for a peaceful demonstration scheduled for Wednesday, to push for the reversal of the order to close the institution.
Moses noted that there was need for support from the national government through bringing of more resources to the university and consideration of students' plights that are posing a big threat to their academics and professions.
"We want the national government and the Deputy President, William Ruto who had promised to bring Sh. 50 million in support of the institution to honour their promise to us because there is nowhere else we can go." Moses said.