Students bear brunt as State, lecturers lock horns over pay

University students across the country are counting heavy losses due to the prolonged lecturers’ strike, which has forced some to vacate their hostels, travel back home, or continue paying rent for premises they are not using.

A spot check by The Standard in several public universities established that some students have opted to share rooms to cut rental costs.

In Kakamega, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST) is deserted. Lecture halls that once buzzed with activity now echo with silence.

First-year students who joined university barely three weeks ago have yet to attend a single lecture, while fourth-year students preparing for graduation have been forced to shelve their celebrations indefinitely.

“I was supposed to graduate this December. Now everything is on hold. Even rent and daily expenses are piling up because my parents expected I’d be done by now,” said Sarah Wekesa, a Bachelor of Education student.

Students say the disruption could cost them a lot in terms of accommodation and food.

“Right now, we are very idle, and when you have nothing to do, your mind wanders to many things, including engaging in risky or illegal activities,” said Francis Omudasia.

Parents, too, are feeling the pinch. Many had already paid tuition, accommodation, and upkeep fees in anticipation of a full semester.

“We are losing money daily because our children are idle in school or at home,” lamented Peter Oloo, a parent in Kakamega.

Students have also raised concerns about a rise in cases of indiscipline, attributing it to idleness.

“Our colleagues’ property is being stolen. Some of the behaviour stems from having nothing productive to do,” said one student.

In Mombasa, the Technical University of Mombasa (TUM) was yesterday a ghost institution as students counted their losses with the lecturers’ strike entering its 23rd day.

Gideon Lwanga said they were in a dilemma about whether to take a costly journey back home or remain in Mombasa, hoping the strike will be called off.

Lwanga explained that travelling back to his home in Western Kenya and returning would cost him Sh7,000. However, staying in Mombasa is equally expensive, as he spends Sh400 per day on meals.

“If the semester ends without any studies, I’ll have to pay Sh12,000 again for the hostel. I hope the fee, Sh42,000, will be carried forward,” said Lwanga.

When he received his admission letter from TUM’s School of Medicine, Lwanga was excited that his dream of becoming a doctor would finally come true. But since his arrival on 4 September, it has been a frustrating experience. Lecturers only conducted introductory lessons for one week before the strike commenced.

Lwanga’s classmate, Tera Khilawa, said he spends between Sh300 and Sh400 daily on food. 

“It is a waste because we are not being taught,” he said.

In Nyanza, students have been thrown into a state of desperation.

According to Selina Mwango, an Education Arts student who has just concluded her fourth year at Maseno University and was due to graduate this year, the strike has created uncertainty and frustration among students. She fears the graduation ceremony may be postponed.

Mary Mwakoma, a fourth-year Media Studies student at Maseno University, said the strike has disrupted her daily routine and study schedule.

“Watching television, eating, and sleeping have become my daily routine,” said Mwakoma.

She added that she cannot travel home due to financial constraints. “I come from Voi. I would be forced to spend Sh2,500 or more on transport, which I don’t have,” she said.

At Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology, the situation is the same. Samwel Juma, a first-year Agricultural Business student, said the strike has crushed his excitement about university life.

“I sleep most of the time, wake up, eat, and go back to bed. It’s so disappointing because I imagined a better life when I joined university,” he said.

Juma appealed to the government to act quickly and resolve the matter.

“If they sit down and agree on the terms we will be grateful. We are really suffering,” he added.

Many students fear their academic programmes will be extended and graduation dates delayed. 

The strike has not only disrupted learning but also taken a toll on students’ mental health and morale. Many, especially first-years, feel frustrated and disillusioned, while finalists like Mwango worry about missing their long-awaited graduation ceremonies.

Rongo University Vice Chancellor Samuel Gudu said the strike will not affect scheduled graduation.

“We have all the results, and our graduands will not be affected,” Prof Gudu said.

However, he admitted that learninStudents at Moi University and the University of Eldoret have expressed displeasure with the manner in which the Ministry of Education is handling the lecturers’ strike.

Medical students at Moi University have been among the hardest hit by the boycott.

These students, whose programme spans six academic years, say the strike will likely push the semester into the next year, thereby delaying their graduation.

For students at Moi University, the current strike adds further strain, as the institution has faced repeated work boycotts by both academic and non-teaching staff in recent years.

Henry Ombili, who joined Moi University’s School of Medicine in 2016, said he is frustrated by the numerous strikes that have prolonged his studies to nearly ten years.

“I’m receiving many text messages from the Higher Education Loans Board (Helb) to start repaying my loan, yet I’m still a student. They assume I’ve completed my education and already started working,” said the frustrated student.

Also affected are students from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT). For many final-year and first-year students, what began as an exciting academic journey has quickly turned into frustration and despair.

Students under the umbrella of the Jomo Kenyatta University Students Association (JKUSA) have called for an immediate resolution to the strike, warning that the industrial action is threatening both their academic progress and financial stability.

Edwin Okiki, a final-year student, lamented that he had already depleted his HELB funds and has yet to attend a single class since the lecturers downed their tools.

“I still have to pay rent and buy food, but I’m literally doing nothing,” said Okiki.

For Immanuel Ochieng, a Bachelor of Public Health student, and his colleague Grace Kanja, both in their final year, the strike has cast a dark shadow over their final lap at university.

“As a fourth-year student hoping to graduate soon, I feel for the first-years who had just joined,” said Ochieng.

[Reports by Willis Oketch, Anne Atieno, Mary Imenza, Stephen Rutto, Rodgers Otiso and Gitau Wanyoike]