Students’ Perceptions of Accountability in Higher Education: A Case Study of one Public University in Kenya

This study explored university students’ perceptions in reference to accountability of higher education in Kenya. The study sought to investigate their perceptions on: role of higher education and key issues related to accountability. It also explored their overall views on quality assurance, accreditation and universities self-evaluation. The sample comprised 147 undergraduate students. The questionnaire was used to collect data. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. Findings show that students feel higher education plays a significant role in the development of the country. In relation to accountability, they were of the opinion that the quality of higher education in Kenya is low and that universities need to focus more on the current labor market demands. To promote accountability, majority of students were for the idea that their views be included in universities’ self-evaluation reports. In addition, they also want the detailed process of accreditation and self-evaluation of universities to be explained to them.