CS Ogamba commissions new Kenyatta University council

Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) Julius Ogamba has commissioned the newly appointed and reappointed council members at Kenyatta University.

Speaking during the ceremony on Tuesday, CS Ogamba highlighted the pivotal role of the university councils in steering institutions through ongoing education sector reforms.

“Governance starts with the councils, and the government is 100% behind them so that they can undertake their mandate without fear or favor,” said CS Ogamba.

CS Ogamba highlighted the significant progress made in restoring financial stability in public universities, noting that the number of technically insolvent institutions have reduced from 23 to 14 since the current administration assumed office.

The target, he said, is to achieve full sustainability across all 43 institutions within the next two to three years.

The reforms include the student-centered funding model and a 15%–40% programs fee cut, easing the financial burden on students and improving payment compliance.

“At Kenyatta University, out of 10,480 newly admitted students, over 9,500 have already paid their fees. Meru University and Machakos University, have also reported encouraging compliance rates,” he stated.

He stressed the government’s pledge that no deserving student will be locked out of university due to financial challenges, noting that the government will cover any unpaid fee by learners.

The CS announced that a national conference will be held in Mombasa next week to align university and tertiary education programs with market-driven job skills.

Ogamba further announced that the government is conducting a nationwide verification of student and school data following concerns raised by the Auditor General on basic education, assuring that more than 15,000 schools have already been verified.

“This verification will enable us to plan better and avoid past challenges with delayed or insufficient capitation. Once the exercise is complete, we will have reliable data to make more effective decisions,” Ogamba added.

KU Council Chairman Dr. Ben Chumo welcomed the new council members, noting the institution’s central role in Kenya’s education system with nearly 50,000 students enrolled.

The move comes in a bid to reaffirm the government’s commitment to strong governance and sustainability in higher learning institutions.