Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) Ezekiel Machogu has denied that the government is planning to increase university fees and privatise some institutions.
Trade Cabinet Secretary (CS) Moses Kuria kicked up a storm on January 24, when he said that the government was planning to privatise some universities to help them come out of financial hardship.
The public universities in Kenya are in arrears of up to Sh56 billion.
"We are already in talks with some investors [to partially buy some of the universities]," Kuria said during a press conference at his Two Rivers Mall office in Nairobi.
The minister's remarks triggered uproar from Kenyans and lawmakers, who said the decision to privatise some public universities will affect the quality of higher education in the country.
And on Thursday, March 2, the CS in charge of Education ministry, Ezekiel Machogu, termed "baseless" the remarks by a section of government leaders that the State will prioritise some colleges.
Machogu described as "busy bodies" those making the claims.
He spoke at the Kabianga University in Kericho County during the institution's celebrations of 10 years since it received a charter.
"I am alive to the challenges that the universities are facing today. My administration acknowledges the role of the universities sub-sector, and we're therefore keen to find solutions to these challenges," he said.
"There are no plans to privatise our public universities. My administration is committed to supporting public universities by developing an enabling, legal and policy environment, and providing funding through capitation and student loans," added Machogu.
The minister said some stakeholders have made proposals to the presidential task force on education to increase the university fees.
"No decision has been arrived at to increase the fees. We will await the recommendations of the working party before an informed decision is made," he said.
"There are people who come... I think busy bodies from somewhere, who say that the government is going to privatise public universities... There is nothing like that. There is no time, and there will never be a time when the government will contemplate to privatise public universities.
"We are aware of the very important role that education plays in the socio-economic transformation of the country. Public universities are institutions that the government can never privatise," added Machogu.
The minister said vice-chancellors who met in Mombasa in mid-February had proposed to have fees increased, but the proposal was yet to receive the approval of the Cabinet or Parliament.
