EFFECTS OF DEBT MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ON SERVICE DELIVERY AMONG PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES IN KENYA: A CASE STUDY OF EGERTON UNIVERSITY
EFFECTS OF DEBT MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ON SERVICE DELIVERY AMONG PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES IN KENYA: A CASE STUDY OF EGERTON UNIVERSITY
Eddah Gichoni - Student, Master of Arts in Public Policy and Administration, Kenyatta University, Kenya
Jane Njoroge - Lecturer, Kenyatta University, Kenya
ABSTRACT
Service delivery by universities is paramount as it implies a sustained supply of a competent human capital for a country’s long-term development and prosperity. Service delivery among public universities in the country is however at jeopardy, owing to the massive debts they have been subjected to, following capitation short falls. In an effort to service this debt, public universities in the country have resorted to a range of debt management practices. It however remains unexplored in the Kenyan body of knowledge, how these how these debt management practices by public universities influence their service delivery, with reference to Egerton University. Extant studies have only explored debt management either in relation to other variables or study populations. In light of this, the investigation sought to establish the effect of asset liquidation and closure and merger of satellite campuses on service delivery among public universities in Kenya. Grounded on both the Contingency Theory and the New Public Management theory, this study employed the descriptive research design. In this study, the target population included all public universities in Kenya, who total 40, as per the Commission for University Education The accessible population in the present study totals 1362 and includes top management, middle management, teaching, non-teaching and low-level management staff from Egerton University. A sample size of 93 is determined, who were sampled by the stratified sampling (probability) sampling technique. The major data used in this study were gathered via a survey form. In the data processing, both inferential and descriptive statistics were generated. Inferential statistics included both Pearson and regression analysis while descriptive statistics included frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviations. Analysis will be conducted with the aid of the Statistical Packages for Social Sciences, version 27. The study's conclusions reveal a complex landscape in which various debt management strategies impact public universities in Kenya. Asset liquidation, while initially attractive, must be approached cautiously due to potential negative effects on service delivery. Campus closures and mergers significantly influence service quality, highlighting the need for meticulous planning and support during transitions. Effective debt management policies should thus prioritize educational quality, transparency, and stakeholder engagement.
