The ministry of  Education has told public universities to increase their sources of income and prepare to roll-out the competency-based curriculum in their own capacities.

University Education PS Simon Nabukwesi urged chairpersons of university councils, vice-chancellors and principals to diversify their incomes and hire private firms to collect debt.

“The debt accumulation is high yet universities are supposed to do their core function which is academic and empowering students. When they spend a lot of time overstretching themselves, to get out of the institutions to collect debts and going to court to deal with litigations related to pending bills then we lose the core function of a university,” said the PS. He said the government will endeavour to increase research funding.

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“We wish to empower those with the capacity and interest in research by recognising and supporting them with funding so that they get into innovations and support us in finding solutions to challenges confronting us.

“However, we don’t do so much of that due to limited staffing in our institutions and low funding,” said the PS, who was speaking during the first international annual conference at Sarova Whitesands in Mombasa.

The PS said universities must enhance revenue collection by developing and implementing a policy on raising resources from other avenues including competitive research, entrepreneurship grants, alumni associations, continuous education, community service and business investments.

The Commission for University Education chairman, Prof Chacha Nyaigotti-Chacha, said the institutions of higher learning are preparing for CBC, noting it will benefit learners and students.

“We are not changing the content of what people cover, we are looking at how people learn. CBC as conceived, has wonderful advantages in terms of the methodologies that will be applied by the people that will be guiding students and learners. Let us not overblow a problem where there’s none,” said Prof Chacha.

He added Kenya has enough competent people and capacity to look at any curriculum. Prof Chacha said Kenya has highly trained curriculum developers who will review CBC and align it.

The swearing in of President William Ruto has shifted focus to the possible line up of Cabinet Secretaries in his government.

In the ministry of education, a number of names have come up for replacements for the position of the CS, currently held by Prof George Magoha, who has also been fronted to continue heading the ministry.

National Parents Association Chairman Nicholas Maiyo called on President William Ruto to retain Prof Magoha for his zeal.

Prof Magoha served as the Kenya National Examinations Council Chairman and was credited for curbing exam cheating which had remained a blot to the country’s education system.

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He also served as a Vice Chancellor at the University of Nairobi.

Maiyo further argued that the education system is undergoing transition hence the need to have Prof Magoha around.

Dr Belio Kipsang,who once served as the PS Early Basic Education, has also been fronted for the position of CS.

Dr Kipsang served as a PS at a time when the country was transitioning into the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC).

Consequently,the President might prefer Dr Kipsang to take charge and streamline the sector, which consumes the highest allocation of the national cake.

Dr Kipsang previously worked as the Deputy Chief Officer and the Head of Operations at the Higher Education Loans Board.

Appointed as PS in 2013, Dr Kipsang was one of the very few PSs to be retained for the same position after the 2017 elections.

Considered as a sober PS,the President might want him as the PS Education, notably Early and Basic Education.

He was transferred in the same position as the Regional and Northern Corridor Development in February 2021.

Dr Kipsang holds a PHD degree in Education Administration and Planning from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, a masters of Arts Degree in Economics and a Bachelors (Honours) Degree in Education (Business and Economics) both from the University of Nairobi.

Teachers Service Commission Secretary/CEO Nancy Macharia is another possible contender for the position.

Ms Macharia is serving her second and last term at the Commission hence she has the opportunity to stand tall and be counted as a CS or PS. Though she has a wealth of experience in teachers’ issues, she has had run ins with teachers unions especially on the Teacher Professional Development (TPD) programmes.

Her appointment might also be an attempt to appease the Central Kenya voting bloc.

Former Kenya National Union of Teachers Secretary General and nominated MP Wilson Sossion has also been mentioned as a possible candidate.

However, his firebrand union politics put him at loggerheads with Education officials and TSC.

Having him at the ministry, some fear, will see him settle scores with TSC and education officials who stepped on his toes.

During his tenure as the Minister for Higher Education Science and Technology, President William Ruto demonstrated his passion for technical training hence the possibility of the Ministry of Education being split into two with two Cabinet Secretaries in charge

If this is done, Ambassador Simon Nabukwesi, the PS in charge of State Department for University Education and Research is a possible contender, in an attempt to also appease the Western region as a voting bloc.

A holder of B.Ed., M. Ed. in Education Planning and Management and MA in International Project Management, Amb Nabukwesi emerged a critical cog in the ministry as Prof Magoha assigned him roles outside his docket.

Amb Nabukwesi started his career as a High School teacher where he served as Deputy Principal and Principal of various schools between 1989 and 2009.

He once served as Kenya’s High Commissioner to Canada and other positions before he was appointed as the PS in February 2020.