International Admissions Visit

/
International Office
and
School of Engineering
International Admissions Visit
Nairobi, Kenya
2-11 July 2002
AJ Cartwright

Nairobi, Kenya

2-11 July 2002

Introduction3
The Educational System in Nairobi3
The Market for UK Universities and for Warwick5
Educational Establishments Visited6
Itinerary
Schools
Tertiary Institutions
British Council and Warwick Office
Discussion11
Recommendations13

Introduction

This report is about my impressions from the recent visit to Nairobi on behalf of the International Office and the School of Engineering at Warwick. The intention of the visit was to investigate the current educational scene as it affects Engineering and to provide a background for future strategies for the recruitment of students from Kenya at both UG and PG levels.

The visit was based around the existing work being done by Lucas Kilemba at the Warwick East Africa Office at Braeburn School Ltd in Nairobi. Lucas arranged a series of school and university visits that enabled me to get a feel for the type of education and qualifications of the students. I was also able to present material about the University and about Engineering at a number of the institutions visited.

There were also discussions with Gordon Austin, the Management Advisor for the Braeburn Group, about the possibility of Kenyan students being prepared for the Warwick Engineering UG degrees by doing their first year of the degree in Nairobi. The Braeside High School (part of the same group) already prepares students for UK universities under a scheme involving a group of Northern Universities.

2. The Educational System in Nairobi

2.1 KCSE

The Kenyan government operates a 4 – 8 – 4 year scheme whereby children have at least 4 years of education at a basic level from the age of 5 years, then 8 years preparing them for the Kenya Certificate of Education (KCSE). This is normal qualification for a career or admission to tertiary education. The latter typically involves a further 4 years, but often now 5 years. There is also the Kenya Advanced Certificate of Education, (KACE) which is similar to the UK A-Level GCE.

That KCSE represents a move away from the UK system that is typically 6 – 7 – 3. The KCSE is not really equivalent to the UK GCSE. KCSE involves one more year of study and in the good schools is roughly equivalent to the UK A/S levels, i.e. one year into the A-level GCE. However the students do a wider range of subjects than our A-levels and it is common for students to proceed to the International Baccalaureate that has the breadth lacking in our A-level.

2.2 Schools

The schools in Nairobi vary enormously. The state funding is very basic and one headmaster said to me that the state funding barely pays for staff, and the student staff ratio being paid for is about 50 to 1. It is essential therefore that the parents make (an often) substantial contribution to their child(ren)’s education. Thus to some extent all schools are fee-paying.

The older traditional school structures follow UK Preparatory-School tradition, moving on at 12/13 to high school, others follow the UK system of primary/secondary changing at 11. Those schools on the KCSE system follow the national 4 – 8 system.

The curricula at the better schools appear to ignore the KCSE, often preferring to stick to the UK system of O and A-level GCE, or in some cases the International Baccalaureate (IB). The result of that is that the extra year needed by students on the KCSE route is unnecessary for better students. Thus the Foundation Course, such as Warwick offers may be recruiting in a lower market than was thought. I have not examined the KCSE but the better schools do not appear very happy with it. I wonder if it is at a lower level in practice because of the shortage of trained Kenyan teachers. This needs to be examined in more detail, especially as the current perception of KCSE here at Warwick appears to be that it is an O-Level substitute.

2.3 Tertiary Education

The government supports a certain amount of tertiary education and fees for home students are modest, typically £1200 pa.

Admission to University was normally by a “good” grade in KCSE and the degrees typically involved a foundation year before specialising. The normal degree is 4 years but engineering degrees are all 5 years or 10 semesters (Semester length varies between institutions around 14 to 16 weeks).

Students gaining a C grade or better are considered to be eligible for higher education, but typically the better establishments recruit at B- or B. Jomo Kenyatta University, which seems a reasonably competent institution, recruits onto its 5-year engineering programme as follows.

KCSE: mean aggregate of B - (minus),

plus: mean grade for the total score in the four cluster subjects of at least B (plain)

plus: minimum grades in cluster subjects: Maths C+, Physics C+, Chemistry C+, Geog or Biol C+

Or: Maths C+, Physical Sc B, Biol. Sc. C+, Geog C+

Alternatively

Kenyan Advanced Certificate of Education (KACE) or A-level with at least two principal passes in Maths and Physics with 9 points or better plus Chemistry at KCE

Engineering at Nairobi University, which appears to cater for more general students, recruits at C+ mean aggregate score in similar subjects.

Students from better schools often prefer to go over the border to Uganda Universities as they are cheaper than Kenyan ones and appear to have a better reputation.

Further education is often influences by multi-national needs and practical courses abound. Many prepare students directly for local vocations and computer awareness is very commonly advertised in their courses. The Kenya Polytechnic had some interest in Warwick but it was clear that it was of considerably lower standard.

2.4 Postgraduate

Opportunities for nationals to get higher degrees are available at the Kenyan universities, but they appear to me to be closely related to domestic needs (as, in my opinion, is right to do). That does mean that there is a potential market for our MSc and possibly PhD (especially by distance supervision) for lecturers at the universities. Research is thin and mainly agricultural or in some cases allied to local companies. Government funding is virtually non-existent at this level.

3. The Market for UK Universities and for Warwick

Many universities compete for East African nationals. There is increasing competition from Canadian and Australian institutions, perceived to offer “good” degrees at a cheaper rate than UK and US. The British influence on the curriculum give UK a head start but that is eroding with the costs being what they are. On the other hand the nationals are extremely keen on education and parents will make huge sacrifices to pay for their offspring to get the best.

The British Council fair in March provides the biggest jamboree for UK universities and the schools all know about it. About 40 universities take part, but there is some criticism from careers teachers that it is getting too big and the students are over-faced (There is anecdotal evidence that students are often unsupervised by their schools for this event and they are tempted to “bunk off” after a perfunctory look round). In particular the subject areas tend to be subordinated to the general marketing of the universities themselves. This dissatisfaction seems sufficiently widespread for us to think about putting more effort into subject visits to schools.

Regarding subjects: the nationals are very keen on business administration, law and IT/computers and engineering. Their perception of the job market in East Africa is that more practical courses are going to be more use to them. There is a strong misconception of the intellectual and philosophical demands of the UK curricula at places like Warwick. In many ways Warwick’s courses are inappropriate to the needs of the country, but on the positive side, the rigour makes the educational experience a vital one for forward thinking. We need to think carefully about how we put across the subject marketing. If we mislead it will ultimately bounce back in our face. We need to take full advantage of the confidence the nationals have in the UK, but be clear what we offer. In that respect, the visits by subject specialists like myself would appear to be essential. It became very clear that I was very welcome in that capacity and we need to build on that.

4. Educational Establishments Visited

4.1 Itinerary – AJ Cartwright

ITINERARY / DATE / TIME
Warwick Office / 3rd July / 9.00 am
Premier Academy, Mr Muhana Principal, Mrs Mucherni Careers / 10.00 am
Graffins College (Technical) R.M Dahrani Principal / 4th July / 9.00 am
Braeside School (Mr Kiintai, Senior Teacher) / 10.00 am
St Marys School (Mr Lilechi) / 3.20 pm
Egerton University Dean, Faculty of Engineering (Mr P K Kimani) / 5th July / 2.00 pm
Warwick Office / 6th July / 9 11.00 am
School of Engineering, UON Dr Macoco / 8th July / 10.00 am
British Council (Margaret, K) / 12.30 pm
Kenya Polytechnic (The Principal) / 2.30 pm
Visa Oshwal High School (Mrs S Darr) / 11.30 am
St. Austins (Senior Teacher)
Braeburn H School (Ken) / 9th July / 2.30 pm
Jonio Kenyatta University (Dr P N Kioni) / 3.30 pm
Strathmore School / 10th July / 11 11.40 am
Lenana School (HEFP Presentation) / 4.30 pm

4.2 Schools

Premier Academy

Mr Muhana Principal, Mrs Mucherni Careers

I spoke to the students who were practising filling in their UCAS forms.

They do UK A level GCEs and have a record of being excellent applicants.

There are 10 applicants from Premier to Warwick for 2002-3

Students were very receptive and asked many questions, particularly about the MORSE course.

Braeburn School

Gordon Austin, Management Advisor for the Braeburn Group

This is an impressive school, very much on the British model, following British Educational practice. The Warwick office is based here.

The current site is a Kindergarten and Primary school. Facilities are very good indeed, having well designed classrooms with evidence of good teaching, sports grounds and a new Sports Hall (under construction), craft rooms and small classes. Many of the children go on to Braeside High School in Braeburn Group. The school is very entrepreneurial, gradually buying up adjacent land as it becomes available. It has recently acquired a large plot and has ambitious plans for new buildings to enable it to move the pre-sixth form children onto the Braeburn site.

Braeside School

Rob Williams Headmaster

Peter Keriba

The senior school is currently on a site on the outskirts of Nairobi. It was mainly boarding, but that is declining and it is now mainly day pupils. Children come in at 12 years old and stay up to GCE O level and thence to A levels or International Baccalaureate. Some do the Foundation Course of the UK Northern Universities Consortium, which has been running for some 8 years.

Visa Oshwal High School

Mrs Shaheen Darr Careers Advisor

Mrs JM Chotai Headmistress

Very good facilities.

Very high level of student attainment (up to 5 or even 6 A-levels at grade A!!)

I made a presentation to A-level GCE students, which received a good reception.

Questions were asked about MORSE, Law, Computer Science, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Actuarial Studies

Strathmore School

Courtesy visit, but did not see children.

Lenana School

Old established school with large number of students

Gave HEFP Presentation to large group of quiescent students.

Bright but difficult to get questions out of them.

Some interest in Engineering but mainly Law, Business Studies and MORSE.

4.3 Tertiary Institutions

Graffins College

R.M Dahrani Principal

A Technical College taking students from the lower end of the KCSE qualifications.

City & Guilds Computer skills, Microsoft Approved courses.

May do HND but would be a small market.

Would like “collaboration” with Warwick but I doubt if it would be in our interest.

May have some interest in the Foundation Course but doubtful if any would qualify.

Little point in following this up.

Kenya Polytechnic, Nairobi

Courses in Engineering use Stroud Mathematics texts for the course so level seems good. But students are of lower level.

They are keen for their students to be admitted to second year from their courses at approx HND level

There is some interest (but not a lot) in the Foundation Course, maybe to have their lecturers help to teach on the course.

Some interest in staff training by sending them to Warwick for higher degrees, but suspect cost would be a problem

Not much point in following this up.

Nairobi University – Faculty of Engineering

David K Macoco – dean of Faculty

5-year UG engineering courses, entry requirements discussed above.

Takes about 200 students pa in departments of Civil, Mechanical, Surveying and Agricultural Engg

I received a good reception and given lots of time to explain the Warwick approach to Engineering. They were particularly interested in the EDAT course and were keen to establish contacts so that students from Warwick EDAT could do project field work there. There was also some interest in higher degrees for their staff or better students.

The Engineering courses are traditional following rather old-fashioned UK curricula. They were not really aware of the new SAROR III requirements in UK and were interested in what I was telling them. I was also able to share some of the developments in CAD from my own experience.

I have serious doubts about the quality of the education here but need more hard evidence. This university has a reputation for political action that has become detrimental to its academic standing. Recently a student was shot dead by a police marksman, allegedly for drugs related behaviour and the roads around the university are regularly the sites for student demonstrations.

Egerton University, Njoro near Nakuru

I saw the following people

Prof James K Tuitoek

Deputy VC

Tel +254 (0)37 62333

Dr Matthew C Chemelil

Chairman/Senior Lecturer

Dept of Agricultural Engg

PO Box 536, Njoro, Kenya

+254 (0) 37 62282

This was my major trip out. Egerton is about 150 miles from Nairobi.

The University grew out of a College set up in 1939 to help get people to develop agricultural land in the region. In 1995 it became Egerton University in the extremely well appointed campus. I was impressed by the size (900 acres) and conditions of the campus. Buildings and grounds were clean and well kept (unusually for the dusty conditions in Kenya!) and the University has an experimental farm of 3000 acres. The Faculty of Engineering and Technology set up in 1997, thus has an ideal backdrop for the development of appropriate courses in Agriculture and related engineering disciplines.

Admission levels are from KCSE, admitting at B+ (10 points) or better to a 5 year course, the first 2 years of which seem to be equivalent to UK A-level GCE. The curriculum reflects UK practice as most of the staff are UK graduates or PhD’s. The staff appear competent and I was very impressed with the Deputy VC who had a very good grasp of what was going on.

They were most interested in the EDAT course at Warwick and I think it would be well worth the DTU taking a look at what they may be able to offer in reciprocal work. They may even be able to offer EDAT students work that could have CATS credit on the UG course at Warwick during the year out often done voluntarily by EDAT students.

There may also be scope for graduates from Egerton to be considered for MSc and other courses in the Manufacturing group. Also their staff and graduates may well be interested in PhD work by distance and that is worth considering by the Warwick DTU.

Regarding admission/comparability, I would have preferred to see lab/curriculum activities to judge better. Egerton would obviously claim comparability and I was impressed with the campus, but students have to go to Nairobi Uni for practical work and that is somewhat suspicious.

Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology

Dr Eng P Ndirangu Kioni

Dean, Faculty of Engeering

PO Box 62000 Nairobi

Tel 0151 52038

This is a new University (1995) specialising in Engineering (as distinguished from the Kenyatta University, a more general university neighbour). It has no other departments, lacking even any Business Studies, but is still young and growing. It is very keen to establish external contacts and were very enthusiastic about the possibilities of a Science or Engineering Park where young graduates could be encouraged to set up companies. They would appreciate the experience of Warwick expertise in setting up the same.

The students seem to be on a par with Egerton so my comments are the same as found in that report.

4.4 Other

British Council

Margaret Kaunjuga, Education Information Manager

Dauglas Mogeni, Education Marketing Officer

The British Council is now organised as private contractors providing exhibition organisation and seminars in parallel. Provision is made for PowerPoint presentations from one’s own CD, or on-line web access. Seminars are claimed to be very captivating for students. Engineering and Comp Sc are popular and Leicester University are regular presenters for these subjects. Students are increasingly clued up about Universities and want more specific subject information.

The BC provides a very well organised centre with an excellent information service. Data on UG and PG courses at every university in UK, on-line information and videos available for viewing by visitors.

Margaret spoke of the main February Fair as being the best point of contact with potential students. There are also increasingly popular Mini-Fairs at E.g. Hillcrest School 12-14 September 2002

Warwick East Africa Office

Lucas Kilemba

The office is well equipped, although the computers are old and it is difficult to get any lecture aids. Even getting an OHP involves a lengthy negotiation through a labyrinthine administration. Few of the schools visited had OHP facilities and it would perhaps be useful for Lucas to have an Office one, preferably one that is easy to transport.

I spoke to a number of enquirers over the period, particularly about Engineering and Comp. Systems courses. The Kenyan perception of Comp Sc (CS) is that it is a kind of enhanced IT course. There was little conception of what fundamental CS is actually about, and I found it difficult to see how Kenyans could benefit from the Warwick CS courses unless they were to join multi-national companies. It would be useful for CS to think about their role in Kenya. It may be that Comp Sys Eng and CS with Business would be the better courses to market.