PhD graduation rates in Kenya: Why my PhD took a long time to complete and why I don’t regret it

It’s well known that PhD graduation rates in Kenya are low and that Kenyan PhD graduates are older than their counterparts in other countries, on average.

We have discussed some challenges facing African researchers at Masters and PhD level in a previous article

Several articles have explored this issue over the years, pointing out the challenges that these students face, including finances (poor pay, few scholarships and lack of funding for research), poor supervision/ mentorship, marginalization of young scholars, and other systemic issues that get in the way of success.

Articles have been written on different topics including: 

I faced many of the challenges outlined above when working on my doctoral studies, some of which I outlined in an interview with the Daily Nation several years ago.

For many reasons, it took me 8 years to finish my degree, but I was able to overcome the challenges and complete my studies eventually. 

Family responsibilities: I enrolled for my PhD in my early 30s as a wife and mother to two young children.

Immediately after completing my coursework in 2016, I discovered I was pregnant with my third born.

Having been a stay-at-home mum for five years before enrolling in the programme, I took time off again to tend to my son.

Towards the end of 2017, when he was 10 months old, I started an internship with a local NGO. Shortly thereafter, my thesis supervisor offered me a job on one of his projects.

Being back in the University environment, I was able to pick my studies back up and secured a partial grant in 2019 through a project that a colleague referred me to.

It was only then that my studies picked up, and I was able to present my proposal, get my letter of full registration and go to the field to collect data. 

PhD graduation rates in Kenya: Reasons why my PhD took a long time to complete

Finances:

I enrolled for the PhD programme directly, rather than through a scholarship or project.

Having taken a career break, I was not plugged into the career network and was not aware of many scholarships available for PhD study. I decided to enrol for the programme and look for opportunities from within.

When I started to get funding, it was often in the form of small grants that funded parts of my research, conference attendance, and training opportunities.

For example, I initially got funding for my first objective through an existing project and only got further funding to finalize my objectives two years later.

I used the time in between to complete the analysis for my first objective, publish a paper and present my results at conferences.

I also attended training workshops that helped me fine-tune my other objectives. 

Work responsibilities:

Throughout most of my studies, I worked in various capacities for my main supervisor’s projects at the University of Nairobi.

While the work was mostly part-time, it was still a struggle to balance work, family, and studies.

I was lucky to be able to pursue the studies part-time, and many African researchers may not have the same luxury. 

University bureaucracy:

University bureaucracy was another major challenge I faced.

The processes at the University moved extremely slowly, and it often took months for some processes that could have taken weeks.

For example, it took 10 months to get my letter of full registration after presenting my proposal and uploading all my documents.

The online student management portal system was unfriendly, and my documents often could not be accessed by the relevant persons who needed to sign them. 

Covid-19 pandemic:

The Covid-19 pandemic also majorly affected my research, resulting in delays and missed opportunities.

For example, I applied for a research grant that was withdrawn at the shortlisting stage due to uncertainties brought by the pandemic.

Luckily, the institute offering the research grant converted it into a one-year fellowship for the 40 women they had shortlisted.

The fellowship became an amazing opportunity, training us in aspects of research, science communication, budgeting, leadership, and other topics.

They also later offered me a travel grant that allowed me to attend conferences to present my research. I was also able to apply for other funding later, which helped me complete my field research. 

Luckily, I did not face another major challenge that many students face: poor supervision.

I was extremely lucky to have an experienced main supervisor and a younger supervisor who mentored me every step of the journey.

Both were extremely kind and patient and connected me with various opportunities that helped me enhance my skills as a researcher. 

Conclusion

Despite these challenges, I was able to finish my PhD this year (2024).

Many times along the journey, I wondered if I would succeed.

Fortunately, I was able to get access to opportunities such as fellowships and grants, as explained.

I did my best to maintain a positive attitude, and I often got words of encouragement from one of my supervisors, which helped me keep my spirits up.

For example, when I missed the December 2023 deadline for graduation, she encouraged me to focus on completing the manuscript for my final journal paper as I waited to defend my thesis.

Thankfully, I have been able to complete my program with a good list of publications and to build my professional profile.

I have no regrets about taking a long time to complete my PhD, since I was able to develop a stronger research profile.

My advice to people in the same situation is to keep a positive attitude, use the time to attend training workshops, learn new skills such as data analysis, and attend conferences.

Finally, find ways to volunteer or get involved with activities that help build your expertise and reputation. 

Good luck!

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