Parliament is currently scrutinizing several private universities over allegations of misappropriation and the receipt of funds from the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) for payment of fees of for non-existend students.
The Public Investments Committee on Governance and Education recently hosted Vice Chancellors from four universities, where each was questioned about the funds they had received.
According to Parliament, the committee uncovered significant financial discrepancies, including instances where students who were declared as government-sponsored were not placed by KUCCPS.
The committee also unearthed discrepancies in student enrollment numbers, cases of overplacement, duplication of student records leading to overpayment in capitation, and payments made to students who had deferred or were on extended academic leave.
For instance, in one university, it was reported that the government paid Ksh550,312 for 12 students who were declared as government-sponsored but were not placed by KUCCPS.
Additionally, the government continued to pay fees for students whose programs had exceeded their expected durations.
The Committee revealed that a total of Ksh139,224,183 had also been disbursed to 2,872 students who had stayed at the university for periods longer than the expected duration of their programs.
Furthermore, 19 students’ records were found to be duplicated, resulting in excess capitation funds being received.
In another university, the government disbursed Ksh38,662,479 in capitation funds to 910 students who had not been placed by KUCCPS. Similarly, the government sent capitation funds for students whose programs had extended beyond the initially indicated duration.
As a result of these findings, Members of Parliament directed the Auditor General’s office to conduct an audit of the funds in question.
