Education Committee Meets Private Universities Over Pending Bills, Data Accuracy

 

 The National Assembly Committee on Education on Tuesday held a crucial meeting with the Kenya Association of Private Universities (KAPU) to address challenges facing private institutions, including massive pending government bills, sustainability of academic programmes, and questions over the accuracy of student data.

The session, chaired by Tinderet MP Hon. Julius Melly, took place at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) and brought together representatives from private universities led by KAPU Chair and CUEA Vice Chancellor, Very Rev. Prof. Stephen Mbugua.

Sh48.8 Billion Debt Questioned

KAPU reported that the government owes private universities Ksh 48.8 billion, accumulated since 2016 when the State began placing government-sponsored students in private universities through KUCCPS.

Prof. Mbugua told the Committee that KAPU has repeatedly presented the details of the pending bills to the National Treasury, the Universities Fund, and the Ministry of Education.

“The Ministry has previously acknowledged the debt and we have also presented our case to the Pending Bills Committee,” he said.

He added that private universities were financially stable before 2016, but delays in disbursing Differentiated Unit Cost (DUC) funds had forced institutions to rely on internal reserves to keep operations running.

Committee Questions Student Data

However, Committee Chair Hon. Melly challenged the credibility of student population data submitted by KAPU, expressing concern over discrepancies in the number of government-sponsored students said to be enrolled in private institutions.

“Your documents show a very large government-sponsored student population. Have these numbers been verified by the Ministry of Education and CUE? How many students have dropped out, graduated, or are still continuing?” he asked.

Baringo North MP Hon. Joshua Makilap and Moiben MP Prof. Phylis Bartoo backed the call for comprehensive data verification, insisting that accurate figures are essential for determining funding needs and validating pending financial claims.

Faculty Qualifications, Programme Relevance Under Scrutiny

The Committee also queried the academic preparedness of teaching staff in private universities, with Hon. Melly seeking clarity on the number of lecturers without PhDs or currently pursuing doctoral studies.

He further urged universities to develop niche, market-responsive programmes.

“A number of universities, public and private, have been accused of offering unmarketable programmes. What are you doing to build your niche?” he posed.

Financial Sustainability and High Regulatory Costs

Siaya County MP Hon. Dr. Christine Odhiambo asked KAPU to outline efforts to diversify income sources to reduce reliance on government disbursements.

KAPU also appealed for a review of programme accreditation fees, saying the current rate of Ksh 320,000 per programme is too high for universities offering large programme portfolios.

Committee Issues Directives

At the end of the session, the Committee directed KAPU to:

• Consolidate verified data on enrolment, graduation, dropouts and deferrals of government-sponsored students from 2016 to date.
• Engage the National Treasury’s Pending Bills Committee to authenticate all outstanding claims.
• Submit proposals for amendments to the Universities (Amendment) Bill to strengthen governance and sustainability in the sector.

“This Committee will work with you, the Ministry of Education, and the Treasury to resolve these issues so that private universities can continue offering quality education,” Hon. Melly assured.

The engagement marks a critical step toward resolving long-standing financial disputes and strengthening accountability within Kenya’s private higher education sector.