Private varsities ‘may be answer to intake row’

The dispute over the proposed double intake at public universities could be resolved by taking some of the students to private institutions, an MP has said.

Students qualifying to join university should be given vouchers to study in private institutions at the expense of the government.

This will reduce congestion in public universities, said Mr David Koech, the chairman of the parliamentary Select Committee on Education.

“We cannot afford to compromise on the quality of university education. The committee on education has therefore recommended to the government that the voucher system be used to pay fees at the students’ universities of choice,” Mr Koech said in an interview on Monday.

The allocation of Sh850 million for bursaries this year is a step in improving access to higher education, he added.

The University Academic Staff Union has protested against the double intake plan that could see 32,611 students admitted to public universities this year, 8,000 more than the 24,000 students admitted last year.

Mr Koech, who is the Mosop MP, also said Kenyans had the option of rejecting this year’s budget estimates to give priority to their pressing needs.

He said the one-month public forums to be held by various parliamentary committees to review the budget would provide a window for participants to make recommendations that could result in reallocation of the Sh1.15 trillion to better meet the country’s needs.