NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 27 — People’s Party of Kenya (PPK) leader Ndindi Nyoro has urged the government to release more than Sh60 billion owed to private universities, accusing the administration of President William Ruto of neglecting the higher education sector.
Nyoro said delays in settling the outstanding payments were placing an unfair financial burden on private institutions that continue to educate students under government-supported arrangements.
He challenged the government to honour its financial obligations and release the funds without further delay, warning that continued underfunding could undermine the delivery of university education across the country.
Speaking at St Paul’s University during the official launch of the institution’s Cultural Week, the legislator also criticised the government’s handling of the ongoing university lecturers’ strike, saying the industrial action had disrupted learning and left students uncertain about their academic futures.
Nyoro urged the government to engage university lecturers and address their grievances to facilitate the resumption of learning in affected institutions.
He called for the implementation of the agreement signed between the government and university lecturers, arguing that commitments made to academic staff should be honoured to restore stability in the higher education sector.
The PPK leader said prolonged industrial disputes threatened students’ academic progress and placed additional pressure on universities already grappling with financial challenges.
He maintained that higher education should be treated as a national priority, urging the government to work with university management and lecturers to resolve the impasse.
Nyoro also raised concerns over the funding allocated to schools, claiming that the government had released only Sh14,000 per learner against an expected Sh22,000.
He argued that the funding shortfall was making it difficult for learning institutions to meet operational costs and provide quality education.
The legislator accused the administration of failing to meet its financial commitments to educational institutions, saying timely disbursement of funds was necessary to ensure schools and universities could operate effectively.
He called on President Ruto to address the funding challenges affecting both basic and higher education, warning that inadequate financing could compromise learning outcomes.
Nyoro said the challenges facing universities and schools raised questions about the government’s commitment to education, insisting that its stated ambitions for the sector must be matched by adequate funding and the implementation of agreements with education stakeholders.
He argued that private universities should not be expected to shoulder the financial burden of educating students after complying with government directives.
The legislator called for the settlement of outstanding payments, improved school capitation and an urgent resolution of the lecturers’ strike.
The government has faced sustained pressure from education stakeholders over university financing, lecturers’ remuneration and the adequacy of funding for learning institutions.
However, the figures cited by Nyoro regarding the Sh60 billion owed to private universities and school capitation were not independently verified in the information provided.