Economy

Varsity regulator raises quality checks fees to Sh350m

SOME

David Some, secretary, Commission for University Education. PHOTO | FILE

Universities will pay in excess of Sh350 million to the regulator following a review of quality check fees that will now be pegged on the students’ population.

Universities previously paid a flat rate of Sh20,000 for the quality checks, meaning the Commission for University Education (CUE) will raise its collection from about Sh1.2 million based on Kenya’s 58 varsities.

The CUE said on Friday that the war chest will help it up surveillance of universities as the Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE) regularly raise the red flag over the persistent mismatch in what industry requires and the skills that university graduates are entering the labour market with.

Universities will pay Sh1,000 for every student pursing a degree, Sh1,500 for masters and Sh2, 000 for those pursuing PHDs, says a notice in Friday’s Kenya Gazette.

Official data released shows that both public and private universities had 324,560 students last year, up from 240,551 in 2012 and about 55, 000 in 2002. The commission expects to collect at least Sh350 million from quality checks fees.

“Universities used to pay lump sum. Now we want to link (the charges) to student numbers,” David Some, the chief executive of CUE told the Business Daily on Friday.

The high enrolment is also putting pressure on university facilities at a time the varsities are struggling to raise cash to upgrade their units. This has been blamed for quality concerns that have put CUE on the spotlight.

The rising students’ population has been buoyed by the approval of new degree courses and the setting up of new universities.

The number of approved degree courses rose to 362 in 2013 from 160 in 2012 and 87 in 2010 while the education ministry upgraded 13 colleges to universities including Maasai Mara, University of Eldoret, Pwani and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga.

In the fees review, universities will pay Sh640, 000 for the CUE to accredit an academic programme and Sh960,000 while applying for a charter. Those seeking letter of interim authority or to establish a constituent college will pay Sh810, 000.