Public Universities Cripple As State Fails To Allocate Funds.
The government’s failure to allocate Sh74 billion to stabilize public universities will result in another problematic academic year.
Numerous colleges are already crippled by enormous debt, which has impeded their functioning.
Geoffrey Monari, the executive officer of the Universities Fund Board, stated that the allocation would continue to decrease due to the rising number of government-sponsored students harming operations and academic programs.
He remarked that over the past five years, the financing gap at public universities had reached Sh96.3 billion, while the opening at private universities had reached Sh24.4 billion.
It has decreased from an average of Sh84,217 at 44.86% of the DUC to Sh40,366 at 21.94%.
Simon Nabukwesi, Parliamentary Secretary for University Education, submitted documents indicating that of the Sh167.8 billion requested, only Sh72.3 billion was given.
Massive budget shortages of approximately Sh54 billion sparked the university crisis last year.
Nabukwesi stated that only Sh920 million had been granted for research and innovation, despite a request for Sh2.6 billion.
UF cannot finance the requisite 80 percent, according to Monari.
“We don’t have enough money to fund the students at 80 percent of DUC.”
“There is a deficit of Sh20.1 billion for the 2021 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination cohort. "It is a very difficult task for the universities and us,” said Monari.
He stated that just Sh44 billion is available for 356,188 pupils in this fiscal year, which equates to Sh123,597 per student.
Monari stated that funding has decreased from 66.4% in 2018 to 60.7% in 2019 and 53.77% in 2020.
In the fiscal year 2021-22, universities required Sh149 billion but were given just Sh95 billion, of which Sh4.3 billion was designated for infrastructure money.
In 2022-23, the deficit increased to Sh74 billion, indicating difficult times for higher education institutions.
In contrast to the Differentiated Unit Cost (DUC) requirement to finance 80% of a student’s tuition charge, only 53.7% was funded.
Incomplete projects in public universities worth Sh52.8 billion by 2020 may face penalties.
The government plans to spend Sh47.3 billion on universities in 2022/23, with Sh44 billion going to public universities.
2020/21: Sh41.9 billion for 271,446 pupils; 2021/22: Sh43.8 billion for 324,182 students.
The vice chancellor of the University of Nairobi, Prof. Stephen Kiama, encouraged the government to treat universities fairly.
He said the University of Nairobi has one of the country’s worst deficits and can’t pay its workers’ pensions and other mandatory deductions.
Monari said institutions must be inventive to offset declining government support.
The institutions must raise additional money. The UF and National Treasury are trying to enhance supplementary budget funding.
Kiama recommended colleges alter procedures to reduce financial utility and boost value.
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He added that the government lowered the university admittance grade from B to C+ three years ago for state-funded students.
Debt Hurt Public Universities As State Fails To Allocate Funds
