Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu has broken his silence on alleged plans by the government to increase university fees.
Speaking at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST) in Bondo, Siaya county on Friday, March 3, CS Machogu acknowledged that the proposal to hike university fees had been made to the State but insisted that no decision has been made on the matter.
"May I take this opportunity to clarify that no decision has been made to increase university student fees. While such suggestions have been made to the working party (Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms) in the contest of stakeholder participation they remain mere proposals," Machogu said during the institution's 10th graduation.
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He urged members of the public to remain calm as the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms finalises its work.
"Let us await the recommendations of the working party before any such informed decision is made on the way forward," he added.
There have been reports that the task force appointed by President William Ruto last year had recommended an increment of fees paid in higher learning institutions as a way of helping the institutions to stay afloat financially.
According to the reports, the government intends to triple varsity fees from the current rate of Ksh16, 000 per semester to Ksh48, 000.
The task force is also said to have recommended a raft of measures aimed at improving the quality of higher education in the country.
At the same time, Machogu on Friday denied claims that there are plans to privatise public universities in the country.
Machogu maintained that the government is committed to supporting the university subsector to meet its goals.
"The Kenya Kwanza administration believes that quality education and research are major determinant of social economic and political development. This is why the government is keen and deliberate on comprehensive reforms to ensure the education sector performs optimally," Machogu said.
"The Kenya Kwanza administration has no doubt about the essential role of public universities in promoting access to education and developing human capital. It has never, therefore, been in the administration's plan to privatise public universities has been alleged in some quarters," he added.
"On the contrary, the administration is keen on ensuring that university education is accessible, affordable and attainable to all students regardless of their location level of income. One of the flagships we are undertaking in this regard is the establishment of the National Open University of Kenya."
He said the government will continue to support public universities by developing an enabling legal and policy environment and proving funding through capitation and loans to students.
