Bill to Exclude Private Universities from KUCCPS Management
Wamboka Wanami, a member of parliament from Bumula, has moved to exclude private university officials from the Kenya Universities and Colleges and Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) board of management.
The exclusion was proposed by Wamboka through The University (Amendment) Bill 2023, which was introduced to Parliament in early August 2023.
According to the lawmaker elected on the DAP-K platform, excluding private universities would protect the Universities Fund by ensuring that only public institutions receive funding.
Universities Fund Kenya finances the postsecondary institutions that KUCCPS places students in.
As a result, prohibiting private institutions from dictating how students are placed will have a significant impact on the distribution of funds, particularly at a time when public universities are experiencing a financial crunch.
The proposed legislation modifies Section 55(3). A provision of the law removes the two vice chancellors who represent private universities from the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service board.
According to the law, the chairperson, the secretary of the commission, the CEO of the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB), and the CEO of the TVET Funding Board shall be among the eleven members who serve as the board of directors of KUCCPS.
Other members include the CEO of the TVETA, two Vice Chancellors of public universities, two representatives of the Kenya Association of Technical Institutions, the Principal Secretary (PS) of the ministry responsible for higher education, and the PS of the ministry responsible for finance.
Wamboka additionally proposed a framework for the placement of government-sponsored students exclusively in public universities.
This is intended to ensure that KUCCPS gives preference to public universities when allocating university slots to students with a minimum entry grade of C+ or higher.
Within thirty days, KUCCPS will be required to publish and publicize the proposed amendments, highlighting the new placement requirements for government-sponsored students.
The representative proposes that the provisions of the law be implemented six months after its enactment.
Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu announced in May 2023 that the government will no longer pay tuition for government-sponsored students who attend private universities.
The CS stated that the action was taken to resolve the financing crisis in public universities and make them financially sustainable.
To further ensure this, the government introduced the Higher Education Financing Portal, a new funding model that will prioritize a student-centric approach when distributing funds.
The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB), which previously offered loans to all students, has created a separate portal for university and TVET students to apply for scholarships, bursaries, and loans.
However, students at private institutions will only be eligible for government financing, not scholarships like their public university counterparts.
Existing Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) students will not be affected by the new funding model.
Bill to Exclude Private Universities from KUCCPS Management
