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Teachers and lecturers’ unions yesterday held the first ever national stakeholders’ conference to discuss the status of funding for learning institutions and commercialisation of education in the country.
Immediate release

The Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU), Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) and Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) jointly held the conference, even as they demanded immediate release of capitation for first years in universities to save them from imminent collapse.

They raised concerns over privatisation and commercialisation of education, in the wake of delayed funding to public learning institutions, inadequacy and irregular disbursement of funds in the sector.

In a joint statement presented by UASU Secretary General, Dr Constantine Wasonga, they said the Government has an elaborate and well documented financing of education policies and strategies but implementing these macro-policies have created a problem in assisting to increase the number of needy students at education institutions.

“Delays in funding disbursement have led to low participation rates, registration of courses and students’ inability to attend classes on time. It is important to ensure that the education calendar is aligned to the fiscal year in addition to the introduction of an equity funding model at all levels of education with an aim to enhance equitable access to quality and inclusive education,” said Wasonga, after the one day workshop held at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD).

They insisted that capitation of learners has to be reviewed periodically due to the increasing cost of living that has impacted learning institutions in terms of resource allocation and inadequacy.