NAIROBI, Kenya Feb 21 – Private universities are under scrutiny following a special audit report spanning seven years, revealing irregular disbursements amounting to Sh883 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the Auditor General’s report, private universities audited between the financial years 2016\/2017 and 2022\/2023 are urged to refund Sh 219 million out of the flagged amount.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The breakdown indicates that Sh201 million was disbursed to 4,521 students who were not bona fide government-sponsored students in private universities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The private universities should refund Sh 201,671,080 spent on students funded under GSS not placed by KUCCPS,” recommended Gathungu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
All government-sponsored students are placed in learning institutions by the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS). The revelation raises legitimate questions about the funding of the 4,521 students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The audit highlighted various irregularities and weaknesses in the management of capitation funds disbursed to private universities that could result in the loss of public funds,” the report stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The special audit report was presented before the National Assembly\u2019s Public Investment Committee on Governance and Education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Among the recommendations, Daystar University is required to repay Sh57 million, Africa Nazarene University Sh47 million, and KCA Sh38,662,479.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Other universities like Umma, St. Paul\u2019s, Lukenya, Great Lakes University, and Kemu are also expected to make significant refunds, as recommended by the Auditor General.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition, irregularities in disbursements amounting to Sh 413 million were flagged, with findings indicating that 9,489 students were enrolled in universities for periods exceeding the durations of academic programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Out of the total flagged amount, Sh53.5 million was granted to 1,116 students who had either deferred or were on long academic leave, with funds released during their absence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Auditor General called for government intervention in formulating policies to guide the implementation of capitation funds for government-sponsored students in private universities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A close watch is also placed on 14 universities that received irregular disbursements totalling Sh35.2 million on account of 788 students who had already graduated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Jackson Wamboka-led committee will delve into the report next week to seek clarifications from relevant agencies in the Ministry of Education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu, Higher Education Principal Secretary Beatrice Inyangala, and KUCCPS CEO Agnes Wahome are expected to shed light on the irregularities highlighted in the special audit report.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The breakdown indicates that Sh201 million was disbursed to 4,521 students who were not bona fide government-sponsored students in private universities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14288,"featured_media":573359,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4625,26],"tags":[15223,1981,491,19758],"coauthors":[2156],"class_list":["post-742582","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-national-news","category-top-stories","tag-education-cabinet-secretary-ezekiel-machogu","tag-featured","tag-kenya","tag-private-universities"],"yoast_head":"\n