THE EFFECTS OF ACCESS POLICIES ON THE QUALITY OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN SELECTED UNIVERSITIES IN KENYA

Abstract

Quality higher education in Kenya appears to be influenced by several factors which include but is not restricted to policies on quality education; admissions, funding, inclusion and constitutional requirements. These policies were said to affect access to higher education in Kenya. However, the extent to which the identified policies impact on access to higher education in Kenya had not been extensively studied. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of access policies on quality of higher education in selected Kenyan Universities. The following objectives guided the study; to determine the effects of admissions policy on quality of higher education, to find out the effect of funding policy of higher education on the provision of quality education, to establish the impact of inclusion policy on quality higher education, and to determine the perceived impact of the constitutional requirements on quality of higher education. The study was based on the Theory of Change Typology and employed the descriptive survey design. The target population in this study was 233, where 113 respondents were top managers of the selected universities while 120 respondents were students. Simple random sampling technique was used to select students who participated in this study. The sample size of the study was 192 of 233 respondents where top managers of the selected Universities were 100 while students were 92. The research instruments used were questionnaire and interview schedules. The questionnaire was administered to the Admissions Officers, Deans, Deputy Vice Chancellore (DVCs), Directors of Quality Assurace (DQA), finance officers, Heads of Depardments (HODs), and the interview schedule was used on students. Data was analyzed using (questionnaire) both descriptive and inferential statistics. The study established that there was a positive and statistically significant relationship between admissions policy and access to quality higher education, there was a positive and statistically significant relationship between funding policy and access to higher education, there was a positive and statistically significant relationship between inclusion policy and access to higher education and last but not least there was a positive and statistically significant relationship between constitutional requirements of access on quality of Higher Education and access to higher learning. The study concluded that although universities tried to provide quality education in Kenya, there was stil much to be desired, universities were not embracing inclusion policy hence denying capable students access to higher education and that public universities did not have enough resources to provide quality education in Kenya. The study recommended that: Universities should employ lecturers with PhD certificates to be at par with student enrolment, Universities must be funded - government allocations to public Universities should be increased. Inclusion Policy-Public Universities should strive to make Universities environment inclusive and since the Universities in existence are under strain to transform and change, no more Universities should be opened. /