William Ruto lays out his plan to save Universities if confirmed as President after the Supreme Court ruling
William Ruto, the President-Elect lays out his plan to save Kenyan Universities if confirmed after the Supreme Court ruling.
President-Elect William Ruto has promised to increase funding for higher education institutions’ operations in order to address the issues they are now facing.
Speaking on Sunday in Nakuru, Ruto claimed that just 52% of the necessary funding is given to all the universities in the nation.
“We have a national crisis in our universities, and we have set out as a government that we are going to address the issue and the crises that today exist in our institutions of higher learning, especially the Universities,” he said, pledging to accept the verdict of the Supreme Court that was set to rule on a petition challenging his election as president.
William Ruto said that the Kenya Kwanza manifesto clearly highlights the challenges facing the institutions and solutions.
Ruto’s statement comes as a number of universities, including Egerton and Moi University, are in danger of closing due to escalating debts that have made it difficult for them to pay for operating expenses.
Government funding cuts and the decline in the number of self-sponsored students continue to have an impact on public universities across the nation, forcing some to trim staff.
Auditor General Nancy Gathungu pronounced Moi University bankrupt and unable to continue operating without government assistance two months ago.
The information was made public after the University revealed an intention to fire more than half of its employees as a result of what the school called significant financial difficulties.
In her latest audit of the University for the financial year 2019-20, the Auditor General said the University’s arrears exceed assets, placing it in a serious cash crisis
Gathugu said the consolidated statement of the University’s financial position reflects total current liabilities of Sh5.7 billion exceeding the current assets balance of Sh5.2 billion.
An almost similar crisis is also facing Moi University, which also announced planned mass layoffs to keep the University afloat.
A year ago, the Eldoret-based institution revealed plans to shut down more satellite campuses as part of an elaborate plan to reduce operating costs.
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