Campus 'Convicts'

Life in some of the universities has become so restrictive that students do not get a chance to enjoy their college years, writes KEVIN OGUOKO

Every Friday a leading entertainment magazine in East and Central Africa is shredded into pieces by Strathmore University! Every Friday morning before the Standard Newspapers are displayed at Strathmore’s University for the students perusal, the varsity staff make sure that they have removed and shred the Pulse magazine pull-out.

Why would the University administration take such a drastic effort? We are reliably informed that the institution hierarchy feel this showbiz rag could spoil its students’ morals. Never mind the students are adults in the eyes of the Constitution, the Supreme law of the land.

The last time we checked, life in a college is supposed to be fun, at least that’s the perception of the globe. Students are meant to explore, try out new things before they step to the real world.

Nimrod Mwangagi, a former Chairman of KCA Students’ Union. [Photo: Standard]

The English, from who we have borrowed literally everything, have a saying that ‘Too much work without play makes Jack a dull boy’.

Having stepped out of the high school uniform after four long years of stringent rules, it’s safe to assume one would expect some thrilling fun. Right? Wrong!

The Government of Kenya has elevated many private colleges to full university status over the years. Apart from what is considered exorbitant fees paid by the majority, the newly upgraded centres brought forward their traditional values to the education scene. Every institution has its own sets of rules that govern it. But it has reached a point where students is raising eyebrows.

After attaining 18 years an individual should be trusted to make own choices. That is freedom fundamentally. As long as your enjoyment of that freedom doesn’t affect the freedom of another. However, many varsities have taken to choosing for the students, what is good and bad.

For many students, the social life in some of the colleges we looked at has taken a ‘convict’ lifestyle outlook. They can hardly wait to finish doing their time at the ‘confinements’. Students are left with no choice but to abide by the rulebook. Social activities such as partying and engaging in the occasional tipple are far from being illegal, yet they carry grave consequences within and outside these campuses.

Over the years the students have come to acquire skills on avoiding getting caught similar to Michael Scofield’s methods—the lead actor in Prison Break series! While some students get away with it, some are not so lucky. Rigorous process with the disciplinary committees in these varsities usually leaves one in an ignominious quandary.

Today we take look at some of the practices carried out on some of these ‘security centres’.

PDA

Public display of affection! It’s orientation day at United States International University— Africa. "PDA is not forbidden, CDs are everywhere in the institution," one of the student council members points out. But not the same case in other universities.

At St Paul’s University main campus in Limuru, you face expulsion or suspension if found engaging in PDA. Not just limited to kissing, hugging and holding hands is also considered a vice under the ‘PDA Act’. It is the same story at Africa Nazarene University.

In some institutions, this restriction comes with monitoring of movements where movements to the opposite gender rooms is strictly forbidden and monitored. If found in compromising position within the universities’ premises, one faces a suspension of up to one academic year.

However, Baraton University takes this rule a notch higher. There is regular room check carried out by the hostel employees. This is besides a thorough search on your valuables on entering the institution’s gate by the security guards. Mind you this is not the regular cautionary screening looking for grenades. The guards are on the lookout for any ‘immoral’ stuff.

Consent Form

These are akin to Certificates of Good conduct that matatu crew are supposed to have prior to getting clearance from the authorities. One of the Christian faith based institutions demands a letter from your pastor to back up your ‘good conduct’ before admission. What if your pastor doesn’t have a good record either?

Well they still need it for it’s a mandatory requirement. What is worse, one has to sign a form describing what’s your perception of bad manners. Your character that takes the basis. It isn’t just about your grades anymore.

After this rigorous process, one has to sign a consent sheet stating that you will abide by the set out rules. Whenever a student goes astray they quickly remind you that you signed a consent form on the dotted line.

"Your testimony has to be signed by your pastor or religious mentor for it to be confirmed as authentic," Says Trezer Kiliku, a fourth year Communications student.

Curfew

It’s fair comment to say some institutions are taking students back to the historical state of emergency. There is no walking in and outwhenever you feel like in some of these institutions. In short, raving is out of the question if you reside within some of the campuses unless you still fancy the jam sessions, which end at 6pm!

You can’t walk into St Paul’s University gate past 10pm. The trick is to have a friend who resides outside the premises whenever you feel like blowing off some steam over the weekend. So you can crush at their place 5am in the morning after you have had your fix of fun.

At the Baraton campus, it’s even more stringent. Walking in after 7 pm to the Seventh Day Adventist sponsored institution is out of question. What is even more appalling is the fact that you can only get permission to leave the campus premises only four times per semester— of course with valid reasons.

You have to have a leave out forms signed by the Dean stating the reason for leaving and date of return. In an endeavour to break this rule, students from Baraton jump over the fence into the vast tracts university farm to get a taste of the liberal world.

Church Services

Its lauded that most private universities are church sponsored. Offering higher education is a big service to the community and nation at large and this contribution cannot be over-emphasized. However, making church services at the institutions compulsory regardless of your faith is a bit steep. Whatever happened to freedom of religion?

Trying to keep their values intact, church services are a must in these institutions. If you live within the campus, you are expected to attend service routinely lest it could impact negatively on your grades.

In one university,they keep a list of students’ attendance at the church services. If you miss the services for 12 times in a semester, you face the possibility of expulsion! The attendance listing is posted in the students’ notice board lest you claim ignorance as defence.

Inside and Outside Policy

‘Students should reflect the image of the University, inside and outside the campus premises’ is a common mantra so long as you are a student at some of the universities.

At Africa Nazarene University the rule is that you should be a Christian both on and off campus. If word gets to the administration of unpalatable behaviour by an individual, the concerned student gets a date with the disciplinary board. The punishment could be as grave as a two-semester suspension.

At St Paul’s University the story is pretty much the same. No drinking of alcohol and other sort of ‘unchristian’ behaviour outside the varsity compound.

The survival mechanism is quite simple. Avoid being conspicuous when you are having your fun and avoid cameras like the plague. You will be just fine.

Rapper Jahmani, a former student at Daystar University had to choose between school and his music career.

"After doing an interview with Pulse magazine, the Dean called me. I was told to transfer to another school if I were to continue doing secular music. Or choose to stay and continue with music after I’m done with my degree," Jahmani, points it out.

Food

Food has been associated with religion as far as Pythagoras and his geometry philosophy have been in existence. For this purpose, some denominations are against the eating of some types of food as it goes against their religious beliefs. Few can resist the temptation of sausages though.

At Baraton University Eldoret campus, the diet is purely vegetarian! In this case, you don’t have to worry about the complications that come with red meat. Though making that choice yourself would feel better. Aside from the meaty issues, there is also the question of Coke, the world’s top ranking brand soft drink.

Apparently the fizzy beverage is not so soft in the eyes of Baraton administrators for it is not allowed or sold within the Baraton Eldoret campus.

Compulsory Units

These are the unit that one must do to complete your degree course regardless of whether they are related to your career or not. Development Studies and HIV Studies are common units in the public universities.

However, private institutions have put their public counterparts in the shade. To spread the gospel, one has to take the Bible unit for the first and part of the second year at some of them where the compulsory units cover the Old Testament and New Testament in depth.

Baraton University in line with its state of the art Agricultural based education pushes the agenda in the compulsory units that they offer. Tractor driving is a common unit in all courses offered!

"We do Physical Education (P.E) as a compulsory unit along with Tractor driving and the rest," adds Fredy from Baraton.

All in all though freshman year gets to be a real bummer in any varsity, students have come to learn to cope with the rules as the years roll. Since rules are meant to be broken, the creative age group has come up with ways of bending the rules to their advantage. At the end of the day, whether in public or private university, they all get to sing Asher Roth’s I Love College!