President William Ruto has said the government has never contemplated or planned to privatise public universities or to increase the fees.
Ruto clarified the concerns on Wednesday while presiding over the University of Kabianga’s 10th-anniversary celebrations and its endowment fund drive.
“The government has not increased school fees, it was just a proposal by vice chancellors, we have not decided on matters of school fees,” he said.
The President’s speech was read by Education CS Ezekiel Machogu.
Ruto said the state will continue to support public universities by enhancing governance policies and allocation of Helb loans.
“Our universities must adopt the posture of the 21st century and be at the forefront of its vital role in integrating research and innovation in areas of national development, ” Ruto said.
He pointed out the need to re-engineer the Universities in-line with the demands of global trends and create global citizens.
The President commended the University of Kabianga for its advanced initiatives through science and technology.
This, the institution has done by manufacturing, value addition, commercial enterprises, and innovative health technology for the diary app for expectant mothers to keep track of their clinic visits.
“All these innovative initiatives have positioned the university on a transformative and sustainable growth with a constant revenue stream,” he said.
He said the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms will provide recommendations that will address the current financial and management challenges facing public universities.
“The reforms will revitalise our university education in the country,” he said.
Machogu thanked Ruto for the timely appointment of the task force which immediately addressed the crisis on Grade 7 domiciling.
He said the team on education reforms gave timely recommendations after engaging Kenyans across the 47 counties.
“Domiciling of JSS in primary schools is the wish of Kenyans and other key major stakeholders in the education sector which was considered by the Education reforms team,” Machogu said.
The CS said already 17.8 million books have been distributed to public JSS across the country.
“The capitation monies will be sent any time as the data on enrollment of learners has been done per school,” he said.
On JSS infrastructure, Machogu said the Ministry of Education through World Bank funding will construct 40 per cent of integrated labs and 60 per cent to be done by the MPs through the allocation of NG-CDF.
Machogu led the University’s fund drive raising over Sh7.5 million which will cater for scholarships to bright but needy students.
The University of Kabianga was first chartered in the year 2013.
Present during the celebrations were Kericho Governor Erick Mutai, Higher Education and Research PS Beatrice Inyangala, University of Kabianga VC Wilson Ngeno, and University Council among other government officials.
