Instead of allowing their detroriating problem to escalte to the extend of workers strike like nurses dilemma in the country now, a staggering institution that has been losing both domestic and foreign employees has finally taken the toughbut necessary option left.
The University of Eastern Africa, Baraton has closed four campuses and sacked 300 staff to reduce the high wage bill and help it remain afloat.
The campuses closed are in Nairobi, Kisumu, Kisii and Eldoret, and the affected students have all been admitted to the main campus in Chepterit, Nandi County.
The university, run by the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, has also scrapped a number of courses it deems unnecessary.
The university’s vice-chancellor, Prof Philip Maiyo, on Tuesday said the institution has struggled in the past two years to clear pending bills amounting to over Sh600 million owed to suppliers and other creditors.
“Because of mismanagement in the past, Baraton University, which was the first private university to be given a charter in 1991 by retired President Daniel Moi, suffered greatly,” Prof Maiyo said.
“We have implemented changes to reduce mismanagement and the university is now stable. We owe nobody anything,” he said, adding that the staff retrenchment had been conducted fairly, and those released were paid all their dues.