The Universities Fund has called for a high-level meeting with Vice Chancellors in Mombasa next week over the financial crisis in public universities.
Over the past few years public universities have been lamenting over financial constraints partly orchestrated by exponential growth in the number of students which has put a strain on facilities and human resource.
The financial situation has also been blamed on failure by the government to provide sufficient funds through capitation, forcing universities to secure and offer services on credit.
Public universities have argued that funding disbursed by the exchequer has not been commensurate with the number of students joining universities.
In November 2022, Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu came under sharp criticism after he implored on universities to adopt innovative ways to mobilize for resources so as to address the current funding crisis.
The University Academic Staff Union (UASU) Secretary General Constantine Wasonga faulted the CS’s pronouncement.
Govt support
Wasonga argued public universities are government entities and the sole responsibility of funding and running them lies with the government.
“Why is it that only public universities are being asked to be innovative and not other government departments?” Wasonga wondered.
“By definition a public university means it’s public and it’s government sponsored,” he asserted.
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Wasonga reported that almost all public universities have budget deficits on account of debts to suppliers and service providers.
UASU argued the financial situation in public universities had reached a crisis level and, “unless it is addressed immediately, there is risk of imminent collapse of higher education.”
As per University Fund records, public universities have debts accumulating to Sh56bn.
Public universities owe contractors Sh1.4bn, part-time lecturers Sh4.5bn, suppliers Sh4.8bn, and Saccos Sh4.1bn.
NSSF is owed Sh139m, NHIF Sh2 million, financial institutions Sh1.3bn for employees’ loan deductions, pension schemes Sh18bn and KRA Sh13bn for PAYE.
