Azimio la Umoja Oppose Plans to Triple University Fees
35 vice-chancellors are seeking a waiver of KES18bn in Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax owed to the Kenya Revenue Authority, as well as the National Treasury starting to clear pension bills totalling KES19.6bn in instalments, in a bid to rescue cash-strapped public universities.
The public institutions have accrued debts amounting to KES60.6bn in staff pensions, PAYE tax, National Hospital Insurance Fund premiums and other statutory dues.
The vice-chancellors proposed interventions aimed at pulling the institutions out of their current financial hole, and have demanded the government to pay all monies it owes the institutions to enable them to stay afloat.
They further urged the state to fund new development projects to completion to avoid stalling due to the suspension of budget allocations.
The scholars also suggest universities should be allowed to determine student fees while the Ministry of Education should only determine the caps.
The Raila Odinga-led Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition opposed plans to triple university fees from the current KES16,000 to KES48,000, arguing the move would lock many learners out of higher education.
Instead of raising fees, the coalition said the government should pay all monies it owes the institutions to enable them to stay afloat.
The proposals will be presented to the Cabinet on March 31, 2023, by Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu. Prof Stephen Kiama from the University of Nairobi accused the Ministry of Education of designing financial woes deliberately.
CS Machogu admitted that the universities are currently struggling while assuring them of state interventions.
He denied allegations that the rising number of candidates with C + (plus) and above in the 2022 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education was designed to reintroduce parallel programs to boost cash flows for cash-strapped universities.
The universities have suggested a committee to come up with a strategic plan and research model to resolve the issues.
Azimio la Umoja Oppose Plans to Triple University Fees
