UASU wants salaries, pensions protected in proposed education laws

The Universities’ Academic Staff Union (UASU) has called for guaranteed government funding for salaries and operations in public universities, proposing amendments to the Tertiary Education, Placement and Funding Bill, 2026, to safeguard staff welfare and institutional stability.

The union wants the proposed law to require the government to finance academic staff salaries, allowances, pensions and other employment benefits through parliamentary appropriations, rather than relying on student fees, loan repayments or commercial borrowing.

UASU presented its proposals on Wednesday, October 28, during stakeholder engagements convened by the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Education to review seven proposed education sector laws.

The union argued that the student financing framework should not replace direct government support for public universities, warning that institutions require predictable funding to sustain teaching, research and essential services.

It proposed a new clause in the Bill to guarantee adequate funding for university operations, including laboratories, libraries, information and communication technology infrastructure and other facilities necessary for learning and research.

UASU also called for the Tertiary Education Fund to be restricted to student financing unless Parliament expressly allocates money for a specific institutional purpose.

On student support, the union proposed clear legal safeguards to ensure transparent eligibility criteria, timely disbursement of funds, accessible appeals mechanisms and protection for learners from vulnerable backgrounds.

The proposals come as lawmakers consider reforms to the financing and management of tertiary education, including the structures responsible for placing students in institutions and administering financial assistance.

On governance, UASU wants public university management and the union represented on the boards of the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) and the Tertiary Education Financing Authority (TEFA).

It further proposed parliamentary oversight of significant borrowing by TEFA, alongside mandatory consultations with recognised trade unions before regulations affecting staff employment conditions and institutional funding are introduced.

The union also sought provisions protecting existing employment status, pension entitlements and collective bargaining agreements during the transition to the proposed legal framework.

It said the legislation should include safeguards for students already enrolled in institutions, existing loan commitments and institutional liabilities accumulated before the new laws take effect.

UASU additionally proposed that the Cabinet Secretary responsible for Education present a five-year fiscal and institutional impact statement to Parliament before the Bill's commencement.

The statement would provide lawmakers with an assessment of the financial implications of implementing the proposed reforms and their potential effects on universities and other stakeholders.

The Departmental Committee on Education, chaired by Tinderet MP Julius Melly, also received submissions from other education sector stakeholders during the consultations.

Those who presented their views included the Kenya Private Schools Association, Kenya Association of International Schools, Kenya National Union of Teachers, Kenya Elementary and Primary Schools Heads Association, National Parents Association, United Association of APBET Schools and UNESCO, among other organisations.

The stakeholders are contributing views on the seven Bills as Parliament considers changes to the country's education framework.

The committee is expected to examine the submissions alongside views collected during public participation forums held across all 47 counties before preparing its report.

The proposals will form part of the material considered by lawmakers as they review the proposed legislation and assess its implications for education financing, institutional governance and the welfare of staff and students.

UASU's recommendations seek to ensure that reforms to tertiary education financing are accompanied by clear funding obligations, accountability measures and protections for existing employment rights.