KISII, Kenya Nov 7 – Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu has issued an order to freeze the recruitment of university staff across the country.
The announcement came during his address at Kisii University, where he emphasized the Ministry’s focus on core functions and the necessity of staff recruitment only when essential.
“We have decided to halt all staff recruitment until we can address our current financial challenges in public universities,” stated CS Machogu.
He further encouraged university managements to adapt to the dynamic job market and concentrate on delivering high-quality courses to students.
CS Machogu also reaffirmed the government’s dedication to resolving funding difficulties faced by public universities. He stressed the importance of ensuring that students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds have access to education. To this end, a formula for identifying and supporting students in need of financial assistance has been devised.
The government has already allocated capitation funds to universities to alleviate their financial strain, although there was an initial delay due to thorough assessments by the Ministry. Additionally, CS Machogu underscored the government’s commitment to addressing outstanding bills owed to universities, amounting to approximately Ksh 70 billion, with the goal of eliminating these debts by next year.
CS Machogu addressed the housing crisis affecting universities, revealing that the government has initiated a comprehensive plan to tackle this issue. One of the measures being taken is the establishment of hostels at Kisii University to accommodate up to 10,000 students.
Charles Hinga, the Housing Permanent Secretary who accompanied CS Machogu, asserted that the housing program aims to enhance students’ quality of life while pursuing their education. He stated that as of the end of October, Ksh 16.5 billion has been allocated for university housing.
Regarding scholarship programs, CS Machogu clarified that the government has introduced a tiered classification system to ensure that those who have the financial means to pay are excluded from the program. This classification aims to allocate resources to students based on their needs, prioritizing those who require financial assistance the most.
