The Mackay Commission Report
Mackay Commission: On January 21, 1981, President Daniel Arap Moi appointed Canadian scholar Dr. Colin Mackay to prepare detailed plans and recommendations the establishment of a second university.
Mackay Commission task was not new as in 1976, the Gachathi Report had recommended that Kenyatta University College, a constituent of the University of Nairobi, be upgraded into a full university and that a third university be started.
Members of the Presidential Working Party on Establishment of the Second University in Kenya (the Mackay commission) were:
Mackay Commission Members
- Dr Colin B. Mackay (Chairman)
- Prof Douglas Odhiambo (DeputyChairman)
- Prof J.M. Mungai
- Prof W.M. Senga
- Prof P. M. Githinji
- G. Gatei
- S. Maneno
- K. Kandie
- F.O. Masakhalia
- Prof P.M. Mbithi
- Prof G. Saitoti
- Prof P.L. French
- E. Wasunna
- E. Kipkorir
- T. Leting
- Prof R.S. Musangi
- M. Mule
- A. Wasike
Key Recommendations of the Mackay Commission
The Mackay Report did not just recommend the establishment of a second university in the country but restructured the entire education system to the current 8-4-4 model, of eight years of primary schooling, four years of secondary and a minimum of four years at the university. The report recommended scrapping of A-levels and simultaneously added an extra year each to primary and university education, respectively. The Working Party recommended cost-sharing in university education and the setting up of the second university without taking over any of the existing institutions. This led to the establishment of Moi University in Eldoret in 1984.
The team was opposed to taking over institutes of technology by universities but said they should be maintained and supported by the Government.
It proposed the establishment of various faculties, schools, and institutes at the proposed second university, namely faculties of technology, agriculture, commerce, education, science, veterinary medicine, information sciences, and forestry resources and Wildlife management.
Others were Faculty of health sciences; social, cultural and development studies, school of graduate studies, school of environmental studies and the institute of applied science and technology.
Kiswahili was to be made a compulsory subject at the second university. The second university was to be mandated to open a raft of courses in distance learning.