- According to data from the Ministry of Education, 25 university campuses were closed down.
- University Education PS says that institutions are on the verge of collapsing and there is need to take swift action.
Image: TONY WAFULA
Public universities were not fully funded in the financial year 2021/2022.
This is despite implementing the newly introduced funding method which allows the state to cater for 80 per cent. Only 49.5 per cent was disbursed.
The other 20 per cent is supposed to be collected by the institutions either from student fees or other income generating means.
This half-funding is being blamed for the cash crunch witnessed in the state-owned institutions.
Speaking to the National Assembly Committee on Education, University Education Principal Secretary Simon Nabukwesi proposed timely and increased funding to varsities.
This, he said, would help in dealing with stalled projects and reduce lecturer strikes.
“There has been general underfunding of the university subsector by 49.5 per cent and it has been going down while the number of students keeps increasing,” Nabukwesi said.
Committe on Education chairperson Florence Mutua questioned the state of reforms that were presented in December 2021.
“There’s a disconnect because the basic education sector is working so well but university education is underfunded. We want our children to transit to universities that are functional,” Mutua said.
Nabukwesi said a number of them were cut down where the most burning issues were prioritised.
The university subsector boss added that institutions are on the verge of collapsing and they need to take swift action.
“The DUC [Differentiated Unit Cost] is supposed to fulfil Sh70 billion against the available budget of Sh43 million and this is what is causing problems because there’s a budget deficit,” he added.
He recommended a sustainable finance policy to address DUC issues and what the government should finance.
Migori county Woman Rep Pamela Odhiambo said DUC was elaborately discussed and feedback is yet to be received.
“We have always insisted that government should finance DUC accordingly. We can’t sit and watch our students drop out of universities,” Odhiambo said.
According to data from the Ministry of Education, 25 university campuses were closed down.