Why Matiang'i has closed Presbyterian University

Acting Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi has revoked the license Presbyterian University of East Africa and directed the Commission for University Education (CUE) to start the procedure of closing the school.

CUE had earlier recommended to the Education CS that the letter of interim authority awarded to the university in 2007 be canceled.

According to the report sent by CUE, the university has unpaid arrears on both salaries and allowances which amounted to Sh611 million.

“The university had defaulted on remittance of staff salaries, deduction to financial institutions, leading to some staff members being listed at credit reference bureau,” read the report.

The report also added that the university is lacking adequate resources to meet its obligations.

“Salary structure was reported to be too high others too low. The employees lacked medical insurance despite the fact that it was provided for in terms and condition of service. It was established that there was a medical cover by Britam up to 2015,” the report continued.

CUE has also proposed the closure of Kenya Methodist University (KeMU) and Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) for a year to allow them to restructure their operations.

“CUEA, Presbyterian University of East Africa and KeMU should stop engaging the service of consultants, particularly in the governance. The consultants reflect a creation of a new governance organ that has no legal basis and whose costs are sinking the institutions into more debts. KeMU was advised by its consultant to take Sh6 billion from a funding company in China but...it is in no position to pay the loan,” read the report from the CUE.