Government accused by union of causing university predicaments, deadlocks, and fiscal troubles
Crisis in Kenyan Universities: A Lack of Government Funding and Industrial Action Threat
Kenya's higher education sector is facing a severe crisis, with the government failing to adequately address the funding shortfall. The lack of action has led to delays in initiating the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiations, causing staff agitation and the threat of industrial action.
Charles Mukhwaya, the Secretary-General of the Kenya University Staff Union (KUSU), has been vocal about the issue, expressing his concerns on Spice FM on Tuesday, July 29. He accused university councils and the Ministry of Education of being responsible for the crisis, and threatened to take legal action against them.
The crisis has left over 163,000 students without Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) loans, locking them out of access to university education due to a KSh 49.8 billion funding shortfall. Universities are considering drastic measures such as mass layoffs, closure of satellite campuses, suspension of academic programs, and large debt burdens exceeding KSh 4 billion for some institutions.
The Treasury, despite acknowledging these challenges, cites no available fiscal space to increase the education budget beyond the current 28% allocation, amounting to KSh 702.7 billion in 2025/26. The Ministry of Education and Treasury have proposed reforms involving cost cuts and asset disposals, but no immediate large-scale funding injections, leaving the system under extreme strain and university staff job security in jeopardy.
Mukhwaya has condemned government proposals to downsize university staff while student populations grow. He has also criticized the government for shifting the burden of education to parents under the new funding model, questioning why funds are allocated to projects like affordable housing and State House churches while universities struggle.
The crisis has created systemic risks such as halted academic operations, possible insolvency of public universities, and a loss of confidence in the higher education system. It has also suspended newer funding reforms like the Student-Centered Funding Model (SCFM) following a constitutional court ruling, leaving no functional alternative system to support universities.
Mukhwaya has expressed concern about universities relying on part-time lecturers and 'moonlighters,' which contributes to issues like missing student results. He has also warned of a potential nationwide shutdown by academic staff due to the threat of industrial action.
The Kenya University Staff Union (KUSU) intervenes through the courts when universities owe staff salaries and unpaid loans. Mukhwaya has accused university councils and the Ministry of Education of being responsible for these unpaid deductions, which include pensions, loans, and other obligations made from staff salaries but never remitted.
Mukhwaya has deemed the government's claims of a lack of resources as "artificial," questioning why previous governments were able to fund education with less taxation, yet the current government claims there is no money. He attributed the crisis to the government's failure to uphold its constitutional duty to provide quality education.
The ongoing crisis in Kenya's higher education sector risks intensifying with long-term consequences for students, universities, and the country's educational development unless urgent systemic funding solutions are implemented.
- The ongoing crisis in Kenya's higher education sector has prompted Charles Mukhwaya, the Secretary-General of the Kenya University Staff Union (KUSU), to question why funds are allocated to projects like affordable housing and State House churches while universities struggle. He suggests that funds could be diverted from these projects to address the funding shortfall in education.
- As part of the crisis, universities are considering drastic measures such as mass layoffs and closure of satellite campuses, which, if implemented, could significantly impact the education-and-self-development of the students and the overall health of the Kenyan economy in the long run. Additionally, the prospect of industrial action by university staff adds to the financial Threat in the finance sector.
