Institutions await MPs’ nod on push to increase fees

Lawmakers will have the final say on the push by universities to increase tuition fees from the current Sh16,000 to Sh48,000 per year.

National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi (pictured) yesterday said that the House will pronounce itself on the matter after deliberating on a report to be prepared by the Education Committee on the proposals by vice chancellors.

“If the need arises, we may decide to call you for a special sitting. You are the peoples’ representative and have the powers,” said Speaker Muturi.

“You have the powers to deliberate and resolve matters of national importance and if anybody disobeys resolutions of this House you have the powers to deal with them. If there is a circular bring it here so that the House can deal with it,” he added.

The House yesterday went on a recess and will resume sittings on February 8.

Majority Leader Amos Kimunya said the House will discuss the proposals once the committee chaired by Florence Mutua tables a report by stakeholders in the education sector.

“I am not aware of any report from the Education Committee on the matter. In any case, it is not the committee to make such decision but this House. Let us wait for the committee to engage the ministry and other stakeholders and bring a report here,” he said.

Lock out learners

Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wah’s had protested the move to triple tuition fees in the universities.

“Some of the students do odd jobs to sustain their stay in school. It is on this basis that I want to go for recess with an assurance that we are not going to lock out learners out of school,” Ichung’wah said.

The Treasury Principal Secretary Julius Muia on Wednesday told MPs that they were ready to pitch the case for universities financing plan by submitting a Cabinet Paper that contains fees hikes next month.

“But this must start from the Ministry of Education forwarding to us a well thought-out and all-encompassing Cabinet Memorandum that we shall look through at the Treasury and forward to the Cabinet for discussion,” he said.