Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua now says the new Higher Education Financing model will make education better.
Speaking on Sunday at the 41st graduation at the University of Eastern Africa Baraton in Nandi County, Mr. Gachagua noted that the reforms recommended by the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms will help to re-engineer the sector.
The DP said President William Ruto formed the taskforce to seek inclusive and evidence-based reforms in the Education Sector in a bid to refocus and retool graduates from job seeking to job creation.
"We are changing the university education funding model to make it better. We want students who are in need of funding to get full assistance. We are refocusing the funding of education to make it better," he remarked.
Gachagua mentioned that the Kenya Kwanza Administration would continue to set aside funds to raise the quality of education in learning institutions.
Read More
The Government, he said, had allocated Sh628 billion to the sector in the administration's first budget (2023/24), which is an increment of more than Sh84 billion from the previous year.
"We are implementing and igniting a system that is skill-focused for development. We are no longer going to graduate people to learn on the job -we want finished products to support the Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda," the DP affirmed.
The Deputy President said Church-based institutions, like Baraton, had contributed to the nation's development promising to strengthen the partnership with them.
"As a government we appreciate the church's contribution in education and health. They have done a tremendous job in the betterment of the lives of the people," he said.
The Deputy President also shared nuggets of wisdom as a graduate who had worked his way up from the bottom.
"As you leave this institution stay focused and be go-getters. Nobody should stand between you and your dream. All dreams are valid. Never let anyone discourage you from achieving dreams," Mr Gachagua told them.
Further, he challenged the graduates to explore opportunities such as the paid-up internships by the government to integrate academic skills with job market demands.
