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Innovate New Financial Sources, Machogu Tells Varsities

“The union is deeply concerned by the massive reduction of the budget for the Kenya National Examination Council. The Council’s budget has been cut to zero,” Nthurima said.

This announcement follows a circular issued on July 5 by the Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndung’u, which listed 24 areas affected by budget cuts due to the rejection of the Finance Bill 2024. Among these cuts is a 100 per cent reduction in examination and invigilation fees.

The circular explained the implications of this decision:

“This created a financing gap of a similar amount and implies that funding of expenditures to the tune of Sh344.3 billion is not tenable. In line with Article 223 of the Constitution and Section 44 of the PFMA, Cap 412A, the financing gap will necessitate revision of the budget estimates for the FY 2024/25. The changes will be regularized in the context of the FY 2024/25 Supplementary Estimates No. 1.”

Previously, Knec had been allocated Sh5 billion as an exam waiver fee in the rejected Finance Bill.

Nthurima expressed concern that the lack of funding for national examinations might force parents to bear the costs.

“With only three months left before the examinations begin, this means there be no national examinations this year unless parents agree to foot the costs,” he said.

He questioned whether the government intends to privatise the administration and marking of exams or switch to online exams due to the lack of budget.

Nthurima emphasized the critical role of examinations in the education system, calling on the Ministry of Education and the government to reinstate the budget to ensure teachers do not have to work without compensationBottom of Form

“We are asking the Ministry of Education and the government to reinstate the budget because teachers are not ready to offer services for free and we have been offering services for free,” he said.

Since 2016, the government has covered examination fees for all candidates in public and private schools to ensure no learner is excluded from taking national exams.

Kuppet Chairman Omboko Milemba warned that the budget cuts could lead to a crisis and increase anxiety nationwide.

“With austerity measures spoken about, and having realised there is no budget to the Knec, it means that the council could either be forced not to administer exams for lack of a budget, or to surcharge the parents like they used to do before,” he said.

He noted that paying examination fees and invigilation costs has enabled higher school enrollment and that the government should not backtrack on these gains.

Milemba, who is also the Emuhaya MP, expressed disappointment that the budget cuts were not communicated earlier saying that Knec has been operating on a static Sh5 billion budget despite rising candidature and operational costs.

“We cannot take the steps back on the gains we obtained over the years where education is now paid for, but also exams paid for,” he said.

“As we carry out the austerity measures, we should ensure that education is safeguarded not only the Knec because the exams are going to be administered, but because education is a unit that generates the future of the country-human resource,” he added.

Recently audited accounts revealed that Knec had a deficit of Sh3.8 billion, complicating its ability to function effectively.

Milemba also called for the placement of Grade Nine students to secondary schools to address budget constraints and optimise teacher allocation.

“We are grappling with the budget cuts. With these austerity measures, we now want the government to move Grade 9 to secondary schools,” he said.

“Teachers who were teaching Form One will not be having lessons for Form One next year, and we cannot move them to primary. This will affect the Curriculum Based Establishment of the secondary schools. The best thing is to take the students there to the teachers,” he added

The Kuppet Chairman noted that Sh24 billion is needed to build classrooms in primary schools, Sh20 billion for laboratories, and another Sh50 billion to hire more teachers for Junior Secondary Schools.

]]> JSS Moguls Win Big in Fight For Increased Salaries, Better Working Terms https://elimupedia.com/jss-moguls-win-big-in-fight-for-increased-salaries-better-working-terms.html Tue, 28 May 2024 03:38:40 +0000 https://elimupedia.com/?p=13998 JSS Moguls Win Big in Fight For Increased Salaries, Better Working Terms

Teachers Service Commission (TSC) plans to spend Sh28.88 billion in the next financial year to employ Junior Secondary School intern teachers, who have been on strike, on permanent and pensionable terms, recruit additional interns and promote teachers. Half of the 46,000 intern teachers could now be absorbed into service on permanent and pensionable terms by July instead of January next year as had been scheduled. Out of the amount, Sh8.3 billion will be used to absorb 26,000 of the 46,000 striking teachers while Sh4.68 billion will be used for the recruitment of additional 20,000 interns effective July.

Another Sh1 billion will be set aside to cater for the promotion of teachers who had stagnated in one job group for almost 17 years while Sh13 billion will be spent on the implementation of the second phase of the collective bargaining agreement for 2021-25. Documents tabled before MPs shows the commission will spend Sh1.3 billion for retooling of JSS teachers on the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) while Secondary Education Quality Improvement Project (SEQIP) scheduled to end next December has been allocated Sh200 million. The Kenya Primary Education Equity in Learning Programme (KPEELP) has been allocated Sh204 million.

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TSC acting chief executive Cheptumo Ayabei, in his presentation before MPs, said the commission had an accumulative reduction of Sh5.033 billion comprising Sh5 billion reductions in recurrent expenditure and Sh33 million reductions in development expenditure. The commission was allocated Sh364.91 billion in the draft budget estimates for the financial year 2024/25 while in the approved 2024 Budget Policy Statement (BPS) it had been allocated Sh369.943 billion. “The approved 2024 BPS indicates the Commission’s allocation as Sh369.943 billion while the draft budget estimates for FY 2024.25 have an allocation of Sh364.91 billion. This indicates an overall reduction of Sh5.033 billion that is; Sh5 billion reductions in recurrent expenditure and Sh33 million reductions in development expenditure,” said Ayabei.

National Assembly Education Committee chair Julius Melly, who appeared before the Budget and Appropriations Committee (BAC) to defend the education sector budget, told TSC to employ the 26,000 intern teachers on permanent and pensionable terms beginning July and not January as proposed. “The intern teachers will be converted into permanent and pensionable terms from July at a cost of Sh8.3 billion,” Melly told the MPs.

“The conversion of the terms of service for intern teachers will boost their morale and is also an assurance over the government’s commitment in ensuring that all future intern teachers are converted to permanent employment after successfully completing the internship period,” he added. In his submissions, Melly however told TSC to streamline the recruitment processes to ensure that resources assigned to the exercise are fully utilized. He also directed the commission to, within the next six months, undertake and evaluate staffing norms requirements for all institutions of Basic learning (Primary. Junior School, Senior School) in order to assess the optimal number of teachers required to guide future resource allocation for recruitment of teachers as well as their deployment; On the promotion of teachers which the commission has been allocated Sh1 billion, Melly explained that the commission required Sh 2 billion to undertake the exercise in which Sh1 billion had been allocated under the current financial year while the allocation proposed in 2024/25 will support its successful completion with all teachers who have stagnated in various job groups for almost 17 years benefitting.

“However, the Commission requires additional resources to continuously promote teachers to avoid another backlog of stagnations going into the future,” Melly stated. The sentiments by Melly come just a day after BAC chairperson Ndindi Nyoro assured the JSS interns that they would soon be absorbed into the system.

“TSC is the number one highest funded institution in Kenya with over Sh300 billion. We want to reassure JSS teachers that we are going to provide money for their confirmation to permanent and pensionable terms to intern,” Nyoro said.

Last Thursday the JSS teachers who have been holding weekly protests over their contracts started receiving show-cause letters from the commission. The interns were asked to submit responses on the matter within 14 days after they have received the said letter’s failure to which the commission would take action against them. The show cause letters came despite Justice Bryrum Ongaya of the Employment and Labour Relations Court on April 17 ruling that TSC violated the intern teachers’ right to fair labour practice. “It is noted with a lot of concern that you breached the provisions of TSC Act Schedule Clause (b) in that you engaged in professional misconduct by being absent from duty,” the letter reads in part.

]]> Intern Teachers to Keep Waiting https://elimupedia.com/intern-teachers-to-keep-waiting.html Sat, 11 May 2024 07:16:08 +0000 https://elimupedia.com/?p=13994 Intern Teachers to Keep Waiting

The nearly 60,000 teachers hired by the Teachers Service Commission as interns will continue working under the same terms. Two weeks ago, the Employment and Labor Relations Court (ELRC) found their employment contracts to be illegal.

But on Friday, a court directed that the status of their employment should remain. This is until the com-mission either gets temporary orders from the Court of Appeal or reaches a compromise.

Justice Byrum Ongaya, however, gave TSC a grace period of three months, meaning that it has to seek intervention from the higher court or absorb all the affected teachers on a permanent and pensionable terms.

A day after Ongaya issued the orders, the Kenya Junior Secondary School Teachers Association (KeJUSTA) wrote to its members saying it is waiting for the interpretation of the term ‘status quo.

It argued that it was unclear what the judge meant.

“I wish to caution teachers against misguided interpretation of the ruling and the misplacement of the term status quo as it appears in the ruling,” wrote KeJUSTA Secretary General Daniel Murithi.

In the meantime, TSC moved back to court to suspend the judgment claiming that it would jeopardize its plan to employ the interns next year.

However, Justice Ongaya said the application meant that TSC was asking him to sit on his own judgment. He however stated that status quo be maintained until August 1,2024.

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“It is in the interest of justice, it appears to the court that it would be appropriate for the status quo prior to the judgment to be maintained with respect to the findings and orders of court in the judgment, pending a compromise or rearrangement of the affairs between parties or applicants filing appropriate application at the Court of Appeal,” ruled Justice Ongaya.

Ongaya ruled that TSC had violate the right to fair labour practices by giving the teachers internship posi-tions while they were qualified and possess teaching licenses.

TSC hired at least 60,000 teachers as interns to teach junior secondary schools(JSS).

The teachers, who have been the backbone of implementation of the Competency Based Curriculum, have vowed not to go back to work until the issue is resolved, throwing the fate of JSSs into limbo.

In his verdict, Justice Ongaya said the commission cannot hire or engage student-teachers or interns as its mandate is limited to employing those who are qualified and registered.

“The respondents have not exhibited statutory regulatory or policy arrangements that would entitle the first respondent (TSC) to employ in-terns. Ideally, the first respondent should employ registered teachers upon terms that are not discriminatory and to meet the optimal staffing needs in public schools,” he said.

The programme was introduced to reduce teacher shortage in schools, particularly at the advent of junior secondary school. It was initially set to run for one year before the interns were absorbed on permanent basis. But in December, President William Ruto announced that the teachers will be required to serve an extension of one year before they can be considered for employment.

In the case, the court heard that TSC gave contracts to the interns to teach two subjects. However, in reality, they ended up teaching every subject.

There were also complaints that despite the tutors being paid a stipend TSC deducted all taxes and contributions required by the government, including the controversial housing levy.

The case was filed by the Forum for Good Governance and Human Rights on behalf of the interns. It indicated that those hired were not supervised but left to grapple with all subjects on their own.

“The second respondent is handling the lives and rights of the children casually as test guinea pigs to confirm whether the CBC, can work,” the court heard.

One of the affected teachers filed an affidavit in support of the case. In his affidavit, Oroso Oganga narrated that he was sent to Eking Narok Primary School in Kajiado County.

A Bachelor of Education (Arts) graduate, he said his contract with TSC was clear that he was to teach History or Christian Religious Education. When he reported to the school on February 7,2023,however,he end-ed up teaching Computer Science, Integrated Science, Social Studies, CRE, Health Education and Life Skills.

Oroso said despite all that work, he was paid only a Sh20,000 stipend.

]]> This is Why JSS Intern Teacher Posting is Illegal https://elimupedia.com/this-is-why-jss-intern-teacher-posting-is-illegal.html Thu, 18 Apr 2024 05:11:16 +0000 https://elimupedia.com/?p=13989 This is Why JSS Intern Teacher Posting is Illegal

The nearly 60,000 teachers hired by the Teachers Service Commission as interns may force their employer to pay them full salary for the period served.

This emerged yesterday after the Employment and Labour Relations Court (ELRC) found the commission violated their right to fair labour practice by giving them internship positions while they were qualified and possess teaching licences.

But the decision also throws into limbo the fate of Junior Secondary Schools just two weeks before schools reopen for the second term. The teachers have been the backbone of the implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum at the Junior Secondary School.

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In his ruling, Justice Byrum Ongaya ruled that the commission cannot hire or engage or hire student-teachers or interns as its mandate is limited to employing only those qualified and registered.

“The respondents have not exhibited statutory regulatory or policy arrangements that would entitle the first respondent (TSC) to employ interns. Ideally, the first respondent should employ registered teachers upon terms that are not discriminatory and to meet the optimal staffing needs in public schools,” Justice Ongaya said.

The programme was introduced to plug teacher shortage that plagued schools and doubled as a crash programme to provide teachers for Junior Secondary Schools.

However, the ruling now adds to the list of troubles that have engulfed the internship programme including major opposition to the extension of the programme.

The internship programme was initially set to run for one year before the interns are absorbed on a permanent and pensionable basis.

However, in December, President William Ruto announced that the teachers will be required to serve an extension of another year before they can be considered for permanent and pensionable employment.

In the case, the court heard that TSC gave contracts to the interns to teach two subjects. However, in classes, they taught everything including sciences and mathematics.

At the same time, those hired were aggrieved that some colleagues were hired on permanent and pensionable terms while they were retained under the terms of teachers in colleges and universities who are placed in schools to learn how to teach.

There were claims that despite the tutors getting an ‘intern stipend’ TSC deducted all taxes and contributions required by the government, including the controversial housing levy.

The case was filed by the Forum for Good Governance and Human Rights on behalf of the interns. It indicated that those hired were not supervised but left to grapple with all subjects on their own.

“The second respondent is handling the lives and rights of the children casually as test guinea pigs to confirm whether the CBC, can work. I state this is indeed a worrying state,” the court heard.

Bottom of Form

One of the affected teachers filed an affidavit in support of the case. Oroso Oganga narrated that he was sent to Eking Narok Primary School in Kajiado County.

His degree indicated that he graduated with a degree of Bachelor of Education (Arts). According to him, his contract with TSC was clear that he was to teach History or Christian religious education.

However, he stated that when he reported to the school on February 7, 2023, he ended up teaching Computer Science, Integrated Science, Social Studies, CRE, Health Education and Life Skills.

He said he was also responsible for both administration and management of the class.

Oroso said despite all the work, he went home with a Sh20,000 stipend.

On Wednesday, Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) hailed the court ruling as a significant victory for intern teachers. The ruling paves the way for the interns to be potentially absorbed into permanent positions.

KNUT Secretary-General Collins Oyuu expressed reservations about the internship programme itself, calling it unfair to treat fully qualified teachers as trainees.

“The issue of interns has been a thorn in the flesh much as it was a stop-gap measure, which we actually support, it is prudent that these teachers become permanent and pensionable especially those who have proceeded for a whole year on internship,” Mr Oyuu said.

He has asked TSC to lobby Parliament to allocate funding to absorb the intern teachers on permanent and pensionable terms.

“If the funds to employ the teachers on permanent and pensionable basis are not available, they can pay in arrears when the funds are available,” Oyuu noted.

There are 56,000 intern teachers employed under President William Ruto’s administration.

In February, TSC Secretary General and CEO Nancy Macharia further revealed a plan to hire 20,000 more interns in July.

]]> TSC on The Spot Over Irregular Teachers’ Medical Insurance Award to MINET https://elimupedia.com/tsc-on-the-spot-over-irregular-teachers-medical-insurance-award-to-minet.html Wed, 17 Apr 2024 05:07:21 +0000 https://elimupedia.com/?p=13987 TSC on The Spot Over Irregular Teachers’ Medical Insurance Award to MINET

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) is in the spotlight over an alleged irregular award of the Sh149 billion teachers medical insurance cover to Minet Insurance Brokers (MIBK).

Questions have also emerged over whether the contract was awarded with all the parties involved in the process completely failing to address infractions of the law despite earlier protests by the teachers that the insurance provider was offering substandard services.

And despite notifications on the procurement process violations, the TSC’s Tender Supply Chain has remained silent on the matter.

A letter by lawyer Wairegi Gatetua to the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA) through its Commissioner of Insurance details how Ms Minet Insurance Brokers Kenya Ltd (MIBK), a successful intermediary in a 2022-2025 tender that sought to provide teachers with comprehensive medical insurance cover illegitimately transformed itself to an underwriter thereby denying teachers the full value of the multi-billion shilling contract.

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Emerging details indicate TSC has, contrary to Section 156 (2) of the Insurance Act, paid over Sh149 billion in medical insurance premiums to MIP over a period of ten years.

The TSC tender document TSC/T/01/2022-25 had sought the services of a consortium to provide comprehensive medical insurance to teachers under a three-year framework contract renewable annually.

The contract is however said to have been irregularly awarded to a registered insurance broker instead of an underwriter as specified in the tender document thereby denying teachers the full value of the contract executed by the consortium and the TSC.

In insurance parlance, a medical insurance provider works as an intermediary to place medical insurance business with insurers while risk carriers are the insurance firms or underwriters.

While MIBK, as an intermediary is supposed to remit 100 percent of the said premiums to the medical insurance providers for a commission as per Section 156 (5) of the Insurance Act, it has not, according to the returns submitted to the IRA by the underwriters concerned, been remitting the premiums and the 10 percent commissions payable under the insurance Act.

Controversy over the award of the Sh149 billion medical insurance comes in the wake of reports that the Medical Administrator Kenya Limited (MAKL) , which oversees the medical insurance schemes for teachers, National Police Service and the Kenya Prisons is yet to remit Sh 11.6 billion to hospitals for services rendered.

The teachers medical scheme is said to have accumulated Sh7.6 billion while the police and prisons owe hospitals Sh4 billion in arrears.

In a letter dated April 9, to hospitals, MKAL blamed the accumulated arrears on delayed disbursements from the National Treasury, something that is threatening to cripple provision of health services.

“This has been prompted by a delay in remittance of funds by our mutual client. In light of the above, Medical Administrator Kenya Limited (MAKL), wishes to reaffirm our commitment to making payments as of when we receive the anticipated funds from our mutual client,” MAKL stated .

TSC Chief Executive Nancy Macharia neither picked calls nor responded to short text messages sent to her phone through WhatsApp inquiring about the anomalies.

The Director-General of the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA) Godfrey Kiptum was also not available for comment as calls to his phone went unanswered.

In the latest deal, Gatetua claims that only a meagre 2.68 percent of the premium is remitted to the risk carriers in the consortium as the concerned insurers and the insurance regulator strikingly watch on silently in a scheme that is manifestly illegal as it is dumbfounding.

Further, the lawyer, in the document claims that TSC has no clear policy document that it has been operating on to determine the benefits due to the teachers if the premiums payable to the insurers remain unremitted whilst the law prescribes insurance as a cash and delivery service.

It has also emerged that the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has equally lost premium tax of a gross premium of over Sh 149 million since the said amount was never received by the concerned insurance firms.

“Whereas at the core of any tender process is the requirement to ensure value for taxpayers money, it is common ground that any contract entered into by a procuring entity and the successful bidder must be in line with the law and the requirements of the tender document itself. A proper analysis of the tender in issue clearly shows that it was a brokerage insurance procurement tender that involved a consortium of underwriters who were the ultimate beneficiaries of the premiums.

How the contract prescribed payment of such astronomical premiums to an intermediary flies in the face of the law and the tender requirement.

“Suffice it to state, it remains to be seen what nature of supervision, if any, is carried out by the TSC and IRA to ensure that the contract achieves the substance of the tender in the aforesaid circumstances,” Gatetua stated in the document seen by People Daily.

In the foregoing the law firm which has previously put TSC on notice on several occasions regarding a number of infractions of the law in the captioned tenders demanded that the IRA, within seven days, formally confirm what percentage of the premium was remitted to the risk carriers per year over the last ten years.

“We further request you to establish how the risk carriers provided cover, if indeed they did, without receipt of the attendant premiums in full and also confirm what sort of supervision, if any you have carried out over Ms. Minet Insurance Brokers Kenya Ltd as a medical insurance provider bearing in mind their role in this matter,” Gatetua states.

The insurance industry regulator has also been tasked to confirm if the policy document issued an Insurance Contract by the successful consortium is in conformity to the tender and the contract entered into between the consortium and the procuring entity.

“We also want you to confirm that the insurance underwriters/risk carriers in the consortium are liable to pay the Kenya Revenue Authority a premium tax, income tax and any other statutory taxes for the Sh 149 billion paid and retained by Minet Insurance brokers over a period of ten years,” demanded Gatetua.

Failure to avail the information sought, the law firm indicated it would not shy away from instituting appropriate legal proceedings without any further reference to IRA at its risk of legal costs and other incidental consequences.

Among the officials addressed in the letter headlined Unlawful/illegal contract for provision of teachers medical insurance cover (three years framework contract) is the head of procurement at TSC, Director-General in charge of Public Procurement Regulatory Authority, the Auditor General, the head of Public Service Felix Koskei, Attorney General, Principal Secretary in charge of the Ministry of Financing and National Treasury alongside his counterpart at the Ministry of Public Service, Gender and Affirmative Action.

]]> Government Freezes Salary Increment For Civil Servants https://elimupedia.com/government-freezes-salary-increment-for-civil-servants.html Tue, 16 Apr 2024 04:06:23 +0000 https://elimupedia.com/?p=13985 Government Freezes Salary Increment For Civil Servants

Civil servants will not have an upward review of their monthly salaries as employers have been advised not to do so to tame a high wage bill.
Speaking on Monday during the 3rd National Wage Bill Conference at the Bomas of Kenya, Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) Chairperson Lyn Mengich said the move will help achieve fiscal sustainability and harmonisation.

“Affordability and fiscal sustainability are a key consideration in any collective bargaining negotiations. Employers are therefore advised not to consider any review of financial items where there is no demonstration of the ability to afford and sustain a review among other considerations,” she stated.

Mengich further added that all institutions should operate within the 50th percentile mid-point in offering salaries and those yet to achieve the mark should do so expeditiously.

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“Institutions above this positioning will retain their salary structures whereas those below will progressively be moved towards the 50th percentile,” she added.

The 50th percentile midpoint is a payment method to achieve streamlined remuneration for all public servants. The point is determined by the SRC.

If a public servant is being paid below the mid-point the SRC recommends that the employer effects a salary set at the required or near the median.

Speaking at the same convocation, Head of Public Service Felix Koskei urged public servants to exercise patience as the government attempts to find a remedy to the ailing economy.

He said that the nation has to live within its means as the government lacks extra money to pay civil servants as it grapples with a high wage bill.

“We urge all the employers and employees of the unions to realise the state of the economy that this country has, the measures that the government has taken to turn around the economy and also consider that at this time it is not possible to look for additional of salaries,” he said.

President William Ruto has previously remarked that the government needs to be frugal and not pay doctors more than what the Treasury has made available.

Ruto emphasized that there will be no more money afforded to doctors and they should take what has been offered before the deal is taken off the table.

Doctors have maintained they will not call off their nationwide strike until their salary needs, amongst other demands, are met.

]]> Kenya National Drama and Film Festival Results https://elimupedia.com/kenya-national-drama-and-film-festival-results.html Tue, 16 Apr 2024 03:43:04 +0000 https://elimupedia.com/?p=13982 Kenya National Drama and Film Festival Results

Secondary Schools

CCD SECONDARY

BURUBURU GIRLS
SHADRACK KIMALEL
KIVAYWA BOYS

MIME SECONDARY

KARIMA GIRLS’
OBAMBO
WAJIR GIRLS’

SOLO VERSE SECONDARY

OLOOLTEPES
AGORO SARE
STAREHE BOYS

SPOKEN WORD SECONDARY

SIYU
NJORO GIRLS’
MILIMANI NAIROBI

CHORAL VERSE SECONDARY

MOI GIRLS NAIROBI
BUNGOMA HIGH
TIGOI GIRLS’

KSL PLAY SECONDARY

ST. ANGELA MUMIAS
FR. ODRA
KEDOHA

PLAY SECONDARY

MUKUUNI
FSK
SHIMO LA TEWA

STAND UP COMEDY SECONDARY

COUNTY GIRLS
SHABIR
RAMBA BOYS

NARRATIVE SECONDARY

FSK
LWAK GIRLS
RINGA BOYS

MODERN DANCE SECONDARY

KANGARU
KODERO OBARA
TUMAINI SCHOOL

Secondary French items

SOLO

Tigoi
Arya
Rang’ala Girls

Choral

Maryhill
Tigoi girls
Lwak

Play

Highway Secondary
Bunyore
Aliance

]]> Machogu Grilled Over Stoppage of Edu-Afya https://elimupedia.com/machogu-grilled-over-stoppage-of-edu-afya.html Mon, 15 Apr 2024 04:20:26 +0000 https://elimupedia.com/?p=13973 Machogu Grilled Over Stoppage of Edu-Afya

Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu was on the receiving end from lawmakers over the expiry of Edu-Afya Medical Insurance Scheme that is given to learners.

MPs who sit in the Public Investments Committee (PIC) on governance and education chaired by Bumula MP Wanami Wamboka accused the ministry of exposing learners following its failure to renew the scheme.

At a meeting between the committee and Machogu, the lawmakers further accused the ministry of neglecting the learners as it would have come up with a short gap measure to protect them while negotiating for a new scheme.

They dismissed arguments by the ministry that the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) was the one covering the learners saying this was not the case on the ground.

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Said Wamboka: “Why can’t the ministry put stop gap measures to this. Mr CS our children are exposed now. This is wrong.” Adding: “It is not true that NHIF has come in to cover our students. We want you to tell us what measures you have put in place to deal with this matter.”

The questions by the committee came after Machogu explained that the ministry failed to renew the scheme because the new Social Health Insurance Fund had collapsed all health insurance schemes including the Edu-afya. He, however, stated that the learners are now being covered by NHIF.

He said: “Mr Chairman, you know we have a new insurance scheme that has collapsed all other health insurance scheme s including this one of Edu-Afya. But in the meantime, we have NHIF in place.”

A month ago, Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha passed the buck to Machogu over the extension of the scheme.

Said Nakhumicha when she appeared before the National Assembly Health Committee: “It is now upon CS Ezekiel Machogu to write to us to seek an extension of the programme. We are ready to undertake this.”

The Sh4.5 billion Edu-Afya scheme was operationalized in 2018 and had been running for four and a half years before being halted in December 2023.

The scheme offered comprehensive medical insurance coverage for students in public secondary schools registered with the National Educational Management Information System (NEMIS). It also helped in the diagnosis of previously undetected – and therefore untreated – chronic conditions that cause students to miss school regularly.]In the cover, the ministry had negotiated an annual premium of Sh1,350 per student.

At the same time, the committee has said it will be petitioning the National Assembly to put an embargo on the introduction of new projects by public universities until all pending ones are finalised.

The committee regretted that most projects started by universities have stalled because of shortage of funds. They further regretted that some of the universities have duplicated projects which are yet to be completed.

Said Wamboka: “We will be asking the National Assembly to put an embargo on new projects so that we can allow universities to complete the pending ones.”

Samburu west MP Naisula Lesuuda, said it is high time that a solution is found to revive public universities as the situation there is dire.

She said: “Apart from the funding crisis we have in the universities, we also need to deal with these pending projects.”

The sentiments by the committee came after Machogu admitted that they are yet to complete the said projects because of lack of adequate funding.

]]> How to Apply for Preferred Course on KUCCPS Online System https://elimupedia.com/how-to-apply-for-preferred-course-on-kuccps-online-system.html Tue, 13 Feb 2024 02:32:22 +0000 https://elimupedia.com/?p=13969 How to Apply for Preferred Course on KUCCPS Online System

The government on Thursday opened the window for application of courses on the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) online system.

KUCCPS coordinates the placement of government-sponsored students in universities and colleges in Kenya.

KUCCPS announced that the application should be done via the student’s portal student.kuccps.net

“The wait is over! The @KUCCPS_Official portal is now open! It’s time to apply for your preferred course in an institution of your choice. Keep it here for updates,” read the notice.

Students apply to be placed in universities, TVET institutions, Kenya Medical Training College [KMTC], Teachers Training College [TTCs] and Open University of Kenya.

How to apply

For one to apply, one should log in to the student’s portal using the KCSE index number as the username, enter the KCSE year and Use Your Birth Certificate No. OR KCPE Index No (as used in KCSE Exam Registration) as your Initial Password
The student should select the programmes and move the ones that interest them into the Course Basket.”This will enable you to work with a shorter list when preparing your final list of courses to apply for.”
Once one is settled on preferred courses, they should enter the programme codes.
“Use the Application/Revision tab to enter the programme codes.”
All programmes have minimum subject requirements. One will only be able to apply for a course whose minimum requirements they met, but the selection will be determined by the overall performance and the available capacity.
Once the applicant settles on the preferred courses, they are required to enter the programme codes.
You can write the code down for application later or add the programme to your course basket by clicking the button marked “ADD” next to the course.
The saved courses can be accessed by either clicking the menu item marked “Course Basket” or on the icon marked “Basket”
You can also search for courses by institution using the Institutions tab. However, the selection will be determined by the overall performance and the available capacity.
After confirming that the Programme Codes entered are for the courses you would like to apply for, submit and follow the application fee payment instructions.
The placement processing fee should be paid after one has selected courses as the applicant awaits approval.

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]]> Innovate New Financial Sources, Machogu Tells Varsities https://elimupedia.com/innovate-new-financial-sources-machogu-tells-varsities.html Tue, 13 Feb 2024 02:13:19 +0000 https://elimupedia.com/?p=13967 Innovate New Financial Sources, Machogu Tells Varsities

Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu has told public universities and other higher learning institutions to come up with innovations that can help them remain afloat in the face of shrinking funding.

The CS said the government will not change its new higher education funding model for universities anytime soon, noting the new approach had addressed challenges that universities and TVET institutions have been grappling with.

“Some of you are yet to move out of your comfort zones to become part of the solution to the problems that afflict our universities,” said Machogu.

Machogu was speaking in Mombasa when he graced the 2024 leadership training workshop for university vice chancellors and principals.

He confirmed that the government had disbursed Sh23.6 billion for funding education of first year students who sat the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exam last year and have been placed at various universities under the new funding model.