Privatization of higher education has become an alternate way of providing education for people around the world. In the developed world, the United States and Japan are repeatedly mentioned when discussing private universities because both of these countries have a well-known history of establishing successful private higher education sectors. In developing countries, the trend of privatization of higher education has been spreading very rapidly since the end of World War II. On almost every continent, developing countries are establishing successful private higher education sectors.
The purpose of this study is to examine the history of the development and the functions of private higher education in Kenya and to determine similarities and differences with other private higher education sectors around the world. Africa is one of the regions of the world that has been slow in the introduction of significant private higher education sectors. This study examines the process by which the Kenyan government has created and implemented a framework for the establishment of a significant private higher education sector without providing the funding for the operation of such institutions.
