Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu has stated that the government will no longer fund students who qualify to join public universities but opt to join private institutions of higher learning.
The Education CS, while appearing before the Public Investment Committee on Governance and Education on Thursday, May 4, affirmed that the state was shifting its policy to make sure students are placed in public universities.
The move comes after members of parliament complained over the Ksh.20 billion that is used to support students meant to be in public institutions but are studying in private institutions.
“We are speaking the same language, we have said that the government is going to place all students into public universities unless a parent has requested otherwise, that we have said and that is now our policy,” Machogu said.
According to CS Machogu, the new policy will require a student or parent to make the choice and cater for it.
Moreover, the committee chair Jack Wamboka stated that the government used Ksh.20 billion to cater for students in private universities who ought to have been in public universities in the last financial year.
Out of this, Ksh.13.7 billion was used as capitations and Ksh.6.7 billion as grants. However, an audit of the public facilities had shown that they can accommodate all the students who attained the university pass mark.
“Those already in private universities, we will ensure they finish their studies, but we commit that in this placement all students will go to public institutions of higher learning,” he added.
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Nonetheless, the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) has also vowed to prioritize public institutions of higher learning in placement of those that have qualified for university education.
Furthermore, CS Machogu revealed that the criteria for funding university courses will be based on performance and choice of programme, household income bands, affirmative action, and government priority areas.
