Government pleads for more time to disburse funds to universities

The government has urged patience by the management of public universities in the country following delays in the full disbursement of funds to the institutions.

Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu has implored university Vice Chancellors to bear with the government, explaining that it is a work in progress. 

“Bear with us as we systematically and methodically trace their (students) financial difficulties together,“ Machogu said on Friday during the 70th graduation ceremony of the University of Nairobi.

Mr Machogu assured the institutions that the ministry will progressively work towards resolving all the concerns in an environment of dialogue to ensure that access to quality education remains unimpeded.

His remarks come in the backdrop of reports that the financially-constrained institutions of higher education had taken measures, among them blocking First Year students with arrears from sitting the end-of-semester examinations. 

Funding model

Public universities had asked First Year students to pay the household contribution to their tuition fees before the institutions allowed them to sit examinations.

Some First Year students were admitted without paying the fees following a directive by the Education Cabinet Secretary. This cohort joined the institutions under the new higher education funding model.

The demand followed the delayed disbursement of scholarship funds to the institutions by the government under the new Higher Education Funding model that was unveiled this year.

The model, however, did not affect continuing students who are still supported through capitation paid to the institutions.

University students are usually required to clear tuition fees before being issued with examination cards to allow them to take the end-of-semester examinations. 

Revenue streams

The government, Machogu said, had dispatched Sh9.2 billion in loans and scholarships to First Year students in all the public universities.

The government, he had previously said, will this financial year set aside Sh90 billion into higher education, as a way to breathe life into 35 public universities that have been bogged down by debts amounting to Sh77 billion.

The CS also urged the universities to diversify their revenue streams and explore ways of attracting international students. 

Mr Machogu also asked the university to continue reviewing their standards, to ensure they are in tandem with the industry needs. 

The government, he explained, is determined to support the institutions in their reform trajectory. This, the CS said, will ensure quality teaching, research and innovation in the universities.

“We must, therefore, ensure we eliminate any duplication of programs in our universities and expand all areas of innovation and research necessary to keep our local universities to compete with [global academic] giants,” Machogu said.  

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