Parliament is scrutinising a few private universities over the misappropriation and receipt of funds from the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS).
On Wednesday, the Public Investments Committee on Governance and Education hosted Vice Chancellors from four universities where each was questioned about the funds deposited.
“The Committee uncovered gross financial gaps that include students who have been declared as government-sponsored, but not placed by the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS), variance in students’ enrollment, over placement, duplication of students leading to overpayment in capitation, and payment of students who had either deferred or were on a long academic leave,” explained Parliament.
In one particular university, it is reported that the government paid Ksh550,312 for 12 students who were declared government-sponsored students but were not placed by KUCCPS.
Further, the government continued to pay fees for students whose programs had extended beyond their expected duration within the university.
“A sum of Ksh139,224,183 had been granted to 2,872 students who had been with the university for periods longer than their expected durations of the programs undertaken”, explained the Committee
More facts from the committee explained that 19 students’ records were duplicated resulting to the capitation of excess funds.
In another university, the government is said to have sent a capitation of Ksh38,662,479 disbursed to 910 students who had not been placed by KUCCPS.
Additionally, in the same university, the government was said to have sent capitation for students whose programmes extended beyond the duration that was earlier indicated.
Consequently, MPs directed that the Auditor General’s office conduct an audit of the funds in question.
“The Public Investments Committee on Governance and Education has asked the office of the Auditor General (AG) to undertake a special audit of funds disbursed to Private Universities by the State Department for Higher Education and Research from the financial year 2016/17 to 2022/23," Parliament stated in its dispatch.
A previous directive by the Ministry of Education had barred KUCCPS from placing government students in private universities.
