Uproar as Education CS Suggests Government Plan to Stop Funding Universities

 

Uproar as Education CS Suggests Government  Plan to Stop Funding Universities 

By Maloba Tisa

"Government to stop funding public universities,” says the CS  Machogu. He said that the government is currently experiencing financial pressure that later calls for alternative ways to source income for universities. Therefore, universities must venture into research, innovation and technology to generate income. He said this at a CBC public hearing in Nanyuki on November 4, 2022.

What does it mean to fund a public university? Higher education in Kenya dates from 1956 when Nairobi Royal Technical College was founded, an institution that later became the first Kenyan university - The University of Nairobi.

The government started funding universities to support various programmes essential for the qualification of its professionals as a state. This was because; almost all the courses are so expensive for the learners to pay from their own pockets.

Without government intervention, a bachelor's degree in clinical medicine can cost a student a Differentiated Unit Cost (DCU) of Ksh.720 000 per year. Some causes in essential humanities, social sciences, and economic geography must pay a DUC of Ksh.144 000 per year.

Despite all this support, most students will still seek support from HELB loans, bursaries and scholarships to cater to the remaining percentage they must pay. Sadly, all these approaches only sometimes fill the gap; thus, some students have petty fee arrears of up to Ksh.5000.

Getting rid of this government funding for the universities will, therefore, in no time, make it impossible for some needy students to join campus and accomplish their various dreams. The continuing students might drop out of school due to this impending pandemic.

The CS has suggested innovation, research and technology venturing to generate income. For innovation of all forms, it takes time. It is an investment with long-term returns. Research, on the other hand, costs people time and resources. Moreover, for research to become useful, more capital is needed to cater to all these. Whenever technology is mentioned, its improvement brings more benefits, but before that, one must accept to incur costs that most universities can't still afford.

Additionally, most universities already have pending debt they need to pay immediately. How will they be able to pay these debts and at the same time do innovation, research and improve technologies, something they are already trying but straining?

Currently, with a cohort of 145,145 students, the country needs 32.7M, while the available is 12.6M. The incoming cohort will be larger than the existing one by 52,195 students. Regardless of the CS's current urge, the government will need more funds to sustain university learning. This will reduce the number of students joining campus. Moreover, dropout cases will never be news again.

With his claim of being misquoted, the talk continues since he touched on a sensitive part that affects the higher education sector. He then said that the government would continue to fund public universities. He further added that universities have to continue with research avenues that would generate extra income. He said this at the groundbreaking ceremony at the Kiambu Institute of Science and Technology.

Rhetorically, we are left to wonder what this research would do for us when we already have them, but they are not sound. Are we left with the opinion that the country cannot generate more income on itself to help fund its various institutions rather than transferring burdens to their subjects?