KISE Urged To Expand Regional Centres

The Kenya Institute of Special Education (KISE) has been urged to open more regional training centres to support learners with special needs across the country.

This call was made by the Public Investments Committee on Governance and Education during a session with six higher learning institutions to review their financial audits by the Office of the Auditor General.

The committee, chaired by Bumula MP Wanami Wamboka, met the institutions on Tuesday as part of ongoing efforts to ensure accountability in public universities and colleges.

KISE Vice Chancellor Dr. Norman Kiogora told the committee that while the institution is mandated to train in-service special needs teachers, it faces funding limitations. He said the institution relies on trainers posted by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), which is constrained by limited funding and therefore cannot post new trainers annually.

Additionally, KISE does not receive government-sponsored students through the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS), nor are its learners funded by the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB), further reducing the Institute’s access to public funds.

Despite these challenges, MPs urged KISE to find ways to decentralise its training services by setting up more regional centres, in order to reach more teachers and learners with special needs, especially in underserved areas.

Earlier in the day, the committee postponed a scheduled session with the Multimedia University of Kenya due to the absence of Vice Chancellor Prof. Rosebella Maranga, who had sent an apology in writing.

Appearing third before the committee was the Kenya Institute of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (KIVET) led by Dr. Edwin Tarno. MPs raised concerns about an irregular land transfer worth Sh24 billion, with the institution unable to provide ownership documents. The committee has planned a site visit for further investigations.

Kabianga University VC Prof. Eric Koech also faced scrutiny over inconsistencies in retention money for construction works, with MPs questioning why a 5% rate was used instead of the standard 10%. The University cited advice from the Ministry but lacked documentation, prompting another planned visit by the committee.

Mama Ngina University College came under fire for awarding three separate landscaping contracts worth Sh33 million for the same project. Vice Chancellor Prof. Paul Wainaina explained that the contracts were awarded while the institution was still under Kenyatta University’s management, and the current team was not involved in the process. The committee will summon officials from Kenyatta University for further clarification.

Kirinyaga University VC Prof. Mary Ndung’u was the final witness of the day. She was commended by MPs for sound financial management and informed the committee that the institution had generated its own revenue surplus of over KSh300 million.