Students in public universities in Kenya may be required to dig deeper into their pockets if the recommendations of an Education Taskforce are implemented.
The President William Ruto-appointed taskforce presented its report to the Head of State last week, Citizen TV reports.
The report contains a raft of measures aimed at improving the quality of higher education in the country; including easing the financial burden on universities by writing off their debts, which currently stand at Sh.56.13 billion, including deductions for PAYE, pension, NHIF, NSSF amongst others.
The Taskforce also proposes a threefold increase in the fees paid by government-sponsored students in Kenyan universities from current Sh.16, 000 to Sh.52, 000 per semester.
The report also wants the government to increase its funding of education at the university level.
The Taskforce noted there is a shortfall of about Sh.164 billion in public universities, cumulatively from 2018/2019 to the 2022/2023 academic year.
Private universities have a funding deficit of Sh56.96billion over the same period.
President Ruto has yet to respond to the contents of the report.
