Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba during the instalation of Prof. Kivutha Kibwana as Chancellor, International Leadership University-Kenya on August 20, 2026. [Jenipher Wachie, Standard]
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to working with private universities.
The CS says the institutions play a critical role in expanding access to quality education and complementing the State’s efforts to achieve equity in higher education.
Speaking at International Leadership University-Kenya on Thursday during the dedication of the university’s Kitengela campus and the installation of Prof. Kivutha Kibwana as Chancellor, Ogamba defended the government’s proposed reforms to higher education financing and challenged critics to provide alternative solutions.
“The Government will continue to work with and support both public and private universities in view of their vital role in advancing quality education, research and innovation and nurturing leadership for national development,” Ogamba said.
The CS said Kenya’s existing higher education financing system was no longer sustainable amid rising demand for university education and increasing pressure on public resources.
He argued that the proposed reforms were intended to change the way the country views investment in students by linking education financing to their future careers and earning potential.
“We said that education is an investment, not just a social good. We decided that we were not only funding the student, but also their future career,” he said.