| Abstract | When Structural Adjustment Programmes (SAPs) were introduced for the first time in Kenya, there was public outcry. This outcry reflected the harsh economic realities of the SAPs. For proper and effective implementation of SAPs, there was need for safety nets to cater for the vulnerable groups, for instance, women, students and the poor. This paper discusses the SAPs that were introduced in Kenya's public universities by the government as a condition for financial aid from the World Bank. Moi University is used as a case study. It is observed that students at Moi University, like in the other public universities, were not provided with adequate safety nets. To cope with difficult economic conditions while on campus, many students have resorted to trading activities unrelated to their academic pursuits. This paper suggests that critical issues facing students enrolled in public universities in Kenya should be brought to the fore. This paper also recommends ways to help improve the operation of public universities in Kenya within a context of SAPs. Moi University administrators must identify ways of assisting poor students and discourage illegal trading activities. The university could allow formal trading activities operated by the students' union, clubs and students studying entrepreneurship. |
