Where do missing marks go?

The missing marks are a common phenomenon among all public Kenyan Universities. The speech of Professor Jacob Kaimenyi on 5^th November 2014 in a forum with the heads of universities of Kenya universities discussing on students Unrest revealed that one of the causes of student’s unrest and strikes is the missing marks. The big question is where do the missing marks go?

 After students have done the exams they submit their answer sheets to the invigilators who submit them to the lecturers of the course who mark them. The lecturers mark the exams and record them then return the exams to the examination department. At times lecturers mix up the papers and some of them are very poor record keepers who end up not recording other student’s marks. Other students forget to write their admission numbers on the answer sheets or they write them in an unclear manner that they cannot be read. Those who realize they have a missing mark make a follow up early on their missing marks. However it’s not easy to get the missing mark recorded because even locating the lecturer who taught you the course is a big problem. You are likely to be told the lecturer went to study abroad, the lecturer is not available, and they are temporarily out of the country to attend an international meeting and other such excuses. Lazy students will lose the morale to make follow up on the missing marks until the graduation is around.    Before graduating students are given a chance to confirm their names are correctly written and their marks are recorded well in all the exams that they sat throughout their study period. This is the time when others realize that they have a missing mark. The period is long enough to allow for the students to look up for the lecturers who taught them the course, the lucky ones find their answer sheets and their problems are sorted before they graduate. The unlucky ones have to wait for another academic year and seat for the exam. This leads to delayed graduation and realization of students dreams.

The issue of missing marks is an all round responsibility. The student and the lecturers should be involved in ensuring that the marks are recorded appropriately and whenever the student miss their marks they should make a follow up as early as possible. 

A we in Hell?

A walk along the academic highway makes one feel like they are walking in some kind of place called the land of hopelessness. The hot sun makes one feel like they are in hell, the dry flower beds makes one think is like the world has come to an end as predicted in the bible, the dry grass makes one feel like they are in the western Sahara Desert, strong wind blowing with a lot of dust makes one feel like they are in Nothern Kalahari desert. This is the kind of feeling that comes with the month of March. This is the time when most people will prefer to stay in their rooms and wait for the day to end instead of walking around the institution in all that hot sun.

Dry grass at Moi University Football playground

Life in the stage residential hostels makes one feel the smell of Satan on earth. Water shortage is a serious crisis where people have to compete for the limited available water. People have to wake up very early to tap water for their domestic use. The earlier the better, because nobody cares about the other persons. When will this season really come to an end?

Do we learn from mistakes?

One of the notable things that you are likely to observe in any room in the hostels is the series of naked wire connection whose operation is only understood by the room occupants. It’s only in Moi University where the students have control over the kind of life that they stay in the hostels. Cooking using coils and other electric appliances is a common phenomenon in all hostels in Moi University. The electricity is the main source of power for preparing meals. Last year a room in Hostel M was burnt down to ashes because of an electric connection problem in the name of connection cooking beans in the room. That was not the first time that the incidence happened. After that people were sensitized in different forums about electric connection in their rooms. The big question is; do we learn from mistakes?

electric cables connecting cooking coil hanging from ceiling board in hostel

My walk in one of the hostels confirms my doubts that students never learn from mistakes.  A series of electric connection is the first thing that my eyes could see. There is a rule about the illegal cooking and illegal electric connections s, but does this law really apply? When I talked to David, one of the room occupants he said, “The rule against illegal cooking and illegal connection is only applied when a student is in a serious problem in regard to room maintenance.”

When there are blackouts the students blame the university administrators, the university administrators blame the university hostel administration, the university hostel administration blames the students, and it’s all a series of blame game. The big question is who is really to be blamed?

Lecturer Class Absenteeism

Class Attendances

One of the characteristics of a university is the fact that one can decide to come to class or not to come. However this rule is trick as one is required to maintain at least a 20% class attendance as a student. The big question is, are the same rules applied to the lecturers?

It’s a common practice in Moi University for classes to bounce. The big question is when the students will get the knowledge if at all the classes are not attended. According to a report by UNESCO, Kenyan Universities are among the category of the poorest universities in Africa. Moi University is ranked number 17. Is very common practice for students to attend a class and a lecturer does not show up. It’s a clear show of irresponsibility from the trainers as their major duty is to train the students something which they do hurriedly after missing a series of classes. Joseph Juma, a third year student in the school of education said, “ When I was in first year I had a target of a first class but as by now there are no any hopes of first class honors degree. The lectures have contributed to my failure because of poor class attendances.”

Somebody somewhere is sleeping on their job. Should the students form a monitoring body dealing with class attendances? if so what action can students take against lecturers who fail to come to class?

Class Venue Crisis

It was a total confusion today at 2 pm when the third yearmedia students and the second year students had a dispute over a class venue.

The two classes had confusion over the class venue. The third year students had been using the launch class since the semester started. The second year alleged that they were allocated the class but had not been holding it there because their lecturer Brian, had gone abroad for studies. The lecturer came back and was allocated a different class which they had been using. Today they were sitting for a CAT and they wanted a larger space to use for the CAT. The third year media students who were the first occupants claimed that the class was allocated to them and they won’t get out, “we can’t go out this is the class we have been using since the semester started”, said Mubaruq, a third year media student. It took the intervention of the lecturers to negotiate for the class allocation and later the second years were relocated to another class.

Venue confusion is a common crisis in the school of information science given the fact that the number of available classes cannot carry all the students fully. Under several circumstances class venues have been an issue and the end result is negotiation among the lectures. The feeling of superiority among the third years can be expressed by their desire to occupy any class they want. Up to when will this crisis end? 

Do You Run A Business?

Kibanda at stage

The first thing that one is most likely to see when they reach at stage is the number of small shops that are set with different items ranging from food to electronics. The number of people opening up shops is very high compared to the number of shops that were there about two years ago. Shops engaging in selling different types of goods have increased. Groceries and electronic vibandas are at a high rise. From an economic perspective it indicates a high rise in the number of students who have increased year in year out. When people complain about the lack of hostels space to accommodate the students, the mama vibandas at stage are very happy because they know the higher the number of students the higher the sales that they make.

Business is business and one of the strong points is that when observing the owners of the businesses most of them are owned by the students. Students are engaging in different activities that can give them extra cash. When the government is seriously encouraging the youth to engage in small businesses the students at Moi University are already engaging in the businesses. One mama mboga said, “I do not own a kibanda but am employed by a third year student to run his business.” this one tells us of the spirit of the entrepreneurship among the students in main campus. The big question is do you run any business?  

Selfies

The number of selfies among the students of informationscience has gone very high.

IS third year students posing for a photo session

Observing the current trend in the school of information science the number of students who are taking photos is rising high compared to the previous years. The influence of the smart phones has led to the habit of people taking photos everywhere they go. At least in the school of information science the photos are taken every hour of the day. The third years are leading because they have realized that they are almost leaving school and they need those photos for their memoirs.  The information science school is the most beautiful school in the whole institution and given the fact that it is located next to the library the school compound is ever smart. Several students from other schools often come to the school to take selfies.

IS third year students posing for a photo session

Nobody knows when the trend will end given the fact of the emerging technologies. The increased number of smart phones with higher resolution ability can by itself prompt one to take a selfie. Nowadays phone cameras do not need a second person to take a photo. Unlike I the past the photo industry has real revolved and has become very cheap. Several people especially students do not print the photos but instead keep them in digital format.

Media Council of Kenya Workshop

Moi University media Students attend a Media Council of Kenya workshop held at Hotel Comfy in Eldoret town.

Moi University Media students waiting for start of the Media Council Session

The workshop hosted by the media council was attended by students and invited members of the public from Uasin Gishu County. Among those in attendance was Pamela, the president of Kenya maendeleo ya wanawake. The workshop discussed the need for the media to engage in efforts of fighting negative ethnicity in Kenya. Amos Kibet, a Media Council of Kenya commissioner said “the proliferation of the vernacular language radio stations is both an advantage to the democracy of the country but also a disgrace to the country as media personnel and the public have used it to gear negative ethnicity.” The workshop focused on equipping the young media professionals with tactics of dealing with negative ethnicity whenever they come up while they are airing programs at the studio. Callers should make sensible comments free of hate and free of negative ethnicity. 

Ethics and Anti-corruption Forum

Moi University student’s engage in ethics and anti-corruptionefforts in a forum held at students center yesterday with the title Ethics andanti-corruption efforts in society.

STUDENTS LISTEN CAREFULLY TO THE GUEST SPEAKER

Yesterday the students of The Ethics and Integrity Club held a long discussion forum over the negative effects of corruption and the possible actions they can take to deal with the corruption menace. The venue was opened officially by Justin Safari, the MUSO secretary general at 9 Am. Several leaders of various clubs and capacities were in attendance discussing how well students can help in the fight against corruption in society. Among them was Juma Omondi, the MUSO chair who said “I want appreciate the efforts of the club in calling for this forum. Corruption is a big problem in Kenya and it needs every one of us to contribute in the fight.  I will organize for a similar forum in  which every MUSO leader whom we  elected is going to tell us their development agendas and also will ask the students to ask them any question they may be having in regard to their performance.” David Musila, Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission were the guest of honor who also asked the students to vigilant over their government. He said “corruption is big elephant in Kenya. The EACC cannot fight alone as the commission contains barely 300 commissioners. These number is so small to guard the over 40 million Kenyans. We urge you young people to join us in the fight against corruption. Lead by example and whenever you see somebody taking corruption, please report to the nearest anti-corruption offices.”

Corruption is big problem in Kenya. Over half of the government budget goes to corruption; this money can be utilized well in projects that can help the nation. Every citizen has a right to question and possibly report to court any leader they find unfit because of poor public spending.

Field trip set on 30th April

Taking advantage of the blackout the third year students too half of their day to discuss the delayed filed trip.

IS media class rep Reuben Wanyama calling for unity.

The students were supposed to have practical class in the computer lab but they were failed by the absence of electricity.  The say an idle mind is the devils workshop took the better part of their day. The students gathered at the schools grounds discussing the issue of their delayed filed trip. The delayed filed trip has lead to divisions among the students and a source who sort for anonymity revealed that the division is not only among students but also among the lecturers.  Speaking at the venue, the class representative of the media class for the IS students Mr. Wanyama said “we are experiencing division amongst  ourselves, the superiority and inferiority complex will further delay our field trip.”  Mr. Wanyama asked for unity among the classes so that together they can push for the field trip agenda. “I urge the class representative of the LIS and RAM classes to come and join us hands to fight for the tour. If the class representative is not active then give us an activist so that we can push for the agenda. Our class representative is sleepy and has said nothing about the trip. ”The students agreed anonymously that they are going for the trip on 30^th April. Lead by the media and publishing class reps were annoyed and wanted the class representative of IS to address the issue. When we reached to the class representative of the IS class he had no comment to make about the claims.

Activist calls for activism to push for the field trip agenda.

The field trip issue has taken another turn. Last week the class representatives met for a meeting with the heads of departments to discuss the issue but the meeting ended with no clear resolution. The members were divided as those students of IT wanted to go for the trip on their own while the others be grouped together. The main question of concern is whey the splitting yet they are students of the same class?

Riot Aftermath; Cleaners at work

Photo showing University compound cleaners cleaning the academic highway

The school cleaners had a hard time cleaning up the mess by the students that were witnessed on Sunday following g the death of one of their comrades who was raped then murdered in cold blood.

The violent protest by the students on the academic high way saw students use stones and all logs to bloke the road so that they could not allow the police from penetrating to pick the body of the deceased. Several logs were thrown all over the compound and others accumulating along the academic highway. The students also set a blaze on one of the police vehicles burning it down beyond repair. The university compound cleaners had hard time cleaning up the mess that was caused by the students forcing them to use water to scratch the academic highway. The cleaners spend the first half of the day scratching the academic highway. Speaking at the scene where the vehicle was burnt, Joshua Kemoi, a cleaner said “we have spent all our time cleaning up the compound just because of insecurity that resulted to a dirt compound. We hope and pray such an incident won’t happen again.”

Protests by students in the university have been witnessed severally there before but the protests of this time round ware very violent than they have been there before. The students were unhappy by the incident and asked the administrators to beef up security in the school compound.

Part Two of Rioting

Another day for rioting by the students of Moi University main campus following the demise of one of their comrades.

Following a riot by students in Moi University that were witnessed yesterday, today the administrators had a hard day to calm down the students. The students rioting started at 9 AM yesterday morning following the dead of one of their comrades a third year in the school of arts. The students were unhappy with  the way the administrators were tackling security and this lead to burning one of the police vehicles that had come to collect the body of their demised comrade.

Today the students gathered at the students centre demanding for an official address from the administrators of the institution. The vice Chancellor, professor Mibey had a hard time calming down the students. Professor Mibey said “I want to acknowledge that the institution under my administration has failed to secure the students who are staying outside the school. It was our mistake of admitting a large number of students more than what our accommodation capacity can hold. ” Speaking like an elderly father addressing his grandsons Mr. Mibey said “investigations have started and those culprits who murdered one of our students will be held accountable for their action. I urge all the students to remain calm as we wait for the forensic investigation. ” the students could not calm down and they had to go ahead with what they had planned, rioting all over the campus.

The chancellor had to call for another meeting with the student’s leaders and students activists lead by Mubaruq Mohammed a third year student in the school of information science. In the meeting the vice chancellor gave the student two options that their leaders had to choose, they either calm down the students or they will go home. The vice chancellor gave them two hours to calm the students before he could make a decision that will impact on the life and future of every student. Closing the institution without any prior notice had implication of delay on the syllabus and consequently long stay in the university.  

Time for serious business.

It is the middle of the semester and the number of students going to the library has increased drastically. According to the security personnel at the entrance to the library the number of students has increased from as less as 150 to over 500 students utilising the library every day. He said, “During the CATS time and the examination time the number increases tremendously”.  The number of students who visit the library to satisfy their academic thirst is likely to be higher as from now till the end of the semester. In fact at such a time there are very high chances that you will miss a chair if you go to the library. The demand for reading becomes high than what the library can support. At such a time lights in the hostels are most likely to be switched of, if at all they have to be, late in the night as late as 2 am. Others will wake up very early as early as 4 am to suck from the breasts of knowledge.

Poor reading culture in the African continent is one of the reasons why we are ever a developing nation. Students only engage in serious studies when there is an exam or a CAT. Group discussions are only carried out when the students are given an assignment. Those who read they only read for the sake of the exams and not to increase their knowledge.

We still have a long way to go as Africans in terms of developing a reading culture among the intellects and academicians.  We need to develop and sustain a culture where people read even when they are not under pressure to do so.  Unless we develop a reading culture our universities and institutions of learning will remain like the towers of Babel charged with the responsibility of pumping knowledge to the students.

Electricity Menace

Blackout is a common phenomenon for those students who stay in the hostels. it has become a routine that at one point at night some hostel must be in a blackout. the problem has been there since time immemorial. The hostel administration comes up with a temporal solution that restores the power for some time and then the series continues again. This is what I call the game of the ostrich; hiding the head in the sand when there is danger and assuming that the danger is gone.Nobody cares about the academics of the students who suffer severally from the blackout menace.  The greatest tragedy in Africa is to find a system of leadership that is dedicated to performance. The problem can only be solved by provision of permanent solution to the problem. We cannot keep on singing of power blackouts every now and again like angry mongrels who have no sense of direction. I believe its the dog that wags the tail and not vice versa. Administrators should provide a permanent solution to the problem.

Field Trip

Today at two pm the third year school of information sciences students specializing in media during their class in the publishing laboratory could not hold on their anger over the delayed field trip.

The students were unhappy over the issue of field trip which they paid for one year ago. The students have raised the issue to their class representative who has not taken their grievances serious to the head of filed trip department. It took the intervention of the class representative Mr. Reuben to calm down the class as he went to sort out the issue with the HOD. Unfortunately the HOD was not around and it had to take the intervention of madam Philippine to intervene and calm down her fellow students. Phillipine said "The issue about your trip has been brought to my attention as the MUSISSA treasurer am going to talk to the relevant authorities and bring you a report over the issue next week on Monday."

The history of delayed field trips has become a phenomenon where the students have to pay first for a trip which they are supposed to go in their second year. Last year, under similar circumstances with the current fourth years, the HOD of field trips when faced with the students cited the reasons for delay in field trips as solely on the students. He said that there are students who delay in paying their fees such that the trip cannot be scheduled before all the students pay. Because of this reason, the department recommended for filed trips in their third year at the beginning of the first semester.

Procrastination is a characteristic of failure. Delayed justice is denied justice. At the beginning of every semester students are asked to pay their fees in full before accessing any school services. Why can the school implement the same regulations; students receive services as soon as they pay for them.

Change still a dilemma

The demand for change in Moi University is an issue that a true democrat and a believer of change has to be concerned about. Its very discouraging to imagine that over twenty seven years down the line since Moi University students Association was initiated still we  cannot manage to purchase a public address system of our own. Over years the students leaders who have been elected to the leadership helm have allowed their minds to be stigmatized and corrupted to the extent that whenever they think of a public function their mind is set by default to think of the Zungu Sounds. I have nothing personal against Zungu and I really wish him well in his businesses but from my class of economics it could be cheaper purchasing our own P.A other than just renting. I do agree with the national perspective and the revolutionary aspect of the Kenyan leadership shifting to the young men and women but in this case I differ with the perception. We cannot be proud of young leaders yet we cannot  see any change aspect from our leaders and in this case we are living testimonies of a failing young leadership. Lets not play the politics of the ostrich hiding the head in the sand and assuming the danger is gone. We all have a responsibility in contribution to the development agenda of our institution.