Review law, let the president pick chancellors - Education ministry

Additionally, the ministry has raised questions regarding the role of the Public Service Commission (PSC) in appointing senior executives in universities.

These developments come when universities are grappling with a debt exceeding Sh62 billion, rendering them unable to settle payments to suppliers or meet their statutory deductions.

According to the CS for Education, Ezekiel Machogu, governance issues have affected the performance of universities. He said the country's public universities have fared poorly in international rankings, primarily due to limited productivity in research and innovation.

"The Universities Act of 2012 should be amended to include provisions for the appointment of chancellors of public universities by a selection panel," he said.

In a statement to the Senate Committee on Education, the CS said the Presidential Working Party on Education Reform had put forward several proposals to reform the management of universities.

"The involvement of the PSC has compromised the autonomy of universities," he added.