Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has expressed his commitment to enhancing governance and sustainability in higher education institutions.
Ogamba underscored the role of university councils, noting they play a critical role in steering institutions through ongoing reforms in the education sector.
This, as he assured the institutions of full government support as they discharge their mandate.
Speaking on Tuesday when he officially inaugurated the newly appointed and reappointed council members at Kenyatta University, the CS said the government will support them as they fulfil their mandate.
“We are here today to inaugurate the new council and engage in a vital conversation about the university’s management. Governance begins with the councils, and the government stands firmly behind them to execute their duties without fear or favour,” said the CS.
Ogamba also noted significant strides in restoring financial stability in public universities.
He revealed that when the current administration took office, 23 of the 43 universities were technically insolvent.
“That number has since dropped to 14, to achieve full financial sustainability across all institutions within the next two to three years,” he said.
Among the reforms highlighted was the introduction of a student-centred funding model and a 15 per cent to 40 per cent reduction in school fees for various programs, measures that have alleviated the financial burden on students and improved fee payment compliance.
At Kenyatta University, over 9,500 of the 10,480 newly admitted students have already paid their fees.
Other institutions, including Meru and Machakos universities, have also reported encouraging compliance rates.
Ogamba, at the same time, reaffirmed the government’s pledge that no deserving student will be denied university education due to financial constraints, with government support covering outstanding fees.
He announced a national conference scheduled for next week in Mombasa, aimed at aligning university and tertiary education programs with market-driven job skills.
The new varsity council chairman, Ben Chumo, welcomed the new members and thanked the CS for his support, highlighting the university’s significant role in Kenya’s education sector, with nearly 50,000 students enrolled.
On basic education, Ogamba said the government is conducting a nationwide verification of student and school data following an Auditor General’s report that questioned records.
More than 15,000 schools have already been verified to ensure accurate capitation disbursement and enable evidence-based policy decisions.
“This verification exercise will allow us to plan better and avoid past issues of delayed or insufficient capitation. Upon completion, we will have reliable data to support more effective decision-making,” added the CS.
