By Olivia Mungwana.
In an admission clean-up, the University of Nairobi (UoN) has deregistered over 30,000 inactive students, primarily those who have overstayed their studies.
Deregistered students, who made up more than a third of UoN students, include those who have momentarily withdrawn and deferred studies, as well as those who have been suspended.
Thousands of university students have postponed their studies due to a shortage of funds during a period when the Higher Education Loans Board (Helb) has struggled to provide loans due to reduced Treasury funding.
The majority of loan applicants are from low-income families that rely on Helb for financial assistance to pay for their tuition and living expenses, forcing some students to postpone their education.
Many part-time postgraduate students have been unable to complete their studies within the established timeframes due to employment obligations and restricted cash flow in corporate Kenya, which has been hit hard by job layoffs and pay freezes.
Students at the University of Newcastle are granted twice as many years to complete a program, meaning those pursuing a four-year degree have up to eight years to complete their studies, while those enrolled in two-year courses have four years to complete their studies.
