How the dream-killing new university funding model.
According to Nation’s investigations, students and their families are being pressured to select university courses that they can afford under the new funding scheme that was implemented last year, rather than what they are eligible for and want to study.
Since they were the first to employ the model, first-year students have already accrued charge amounts, which are expected to increase as they continue.
Many students and parents have stated that they will apply for inter-university transfers when the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (Kuccps) opens the system tomorrow. The second cohort under the model is scheduled to join in August and September of this year.
Via the university portals, students who want to switch their assigned courses within the same institution can also do so.
The government no longer guarantees student sponsorship under the funding model; instead, students must apply annually and receive support based on their level of need as assessed by the Universities Fund (UF) and the Higher Education Loans Board (Helb).
The assessment of the funding model was one of the agenda issues for President William Ruto’s meeting with the vice-chancellors of all public universities on Tuesday of last week.
Students were engrossed
A succinct statement from State House stated, “VCs confirmed it’s [the model] working and in the next three years, it will have improved status of public universities because all students will have been absorbed.”
But students have a different narrative to tell.
Due to a delay in the funds’ release from the previous year, pupils were forced to learn without funds for maintenance. Some people accrued rent arrears during the period when universities did not charge tuition.
This year, 134,743 candidates were assigned to public universities. With a mean score of C+ in the 2023 KCSE, 47,872 pupils were eligible for university admission; however, they did not select a degree program. Of these, 11,991 chose to enroll in certificate programs rather than degree programs, leaving 35,881 qualifiers unaccounted for.
Human resource management has always been Joseph Raymond’s dream job. Raymond, however, was compelled to abandon his ideal course—human resource management. Aware of her financial limitations, the 19-year-old had first chosen Maseno University because of its lower course fees (Sh183,600). But to his dismay, he was informed that he had been accepted to the more costly Kisii University (Sh206,635).
As a small-scale farmer, my mother is unable to provide the necessary funds. Knowing my family’s financial situation, Maseno University was my first choice. But given the circumstances in Kisii, I’m not sure how my studies will proceed,” he says.
Raymond claims that he has had to start over due to the current situation.
“Looking at things, I might just go for Maseno University’s Bachelor of Arts in Economics with IT, which is Sh184,000 a year cheaper,” the adolescent says.
given a scholarship
After just one year, Leonard Kanga, a first-year student at Turkana University College, is unsure if he will finish his studies.
He was hopeful that the new higher education funding model would meet his demands when he traveled from his home in Elgeyo-Marakwet County last year to enroll at the university for a Bachelor of Education (physics and mathematics) degree. A bachelor’s degree in education is one of the more “affordable” programs offered by several universities.
“I was not able to apply for placement under Kuccps due to financial difficulties. I attempted to apply this year, but I was only able to do so for diploma and certificate programs, even though I wanted to pursue a Bachelor of Education degree,” he stated.
KCSE applicants for 2023
When he contacted Kuccps, he was informed that placement through the portal is only available to current students—in this case, the 2023 KCSE candidates—and was requested to submit an application letter. He followed instructions, but he was left out when the results were announced, and he now worries he would never have the chance again.
Though their situations may be distinct, Raymond, Kanga, and Omondi are among thousands of students who, since the implementation of the higher education funding model last year, have had to consider the expense of the degree programs they select. Instead of enrolling in classes they qualify for and want to attend, they are now compelled to take those that they can afford.
“Many programs still have capacity for more students due to our enhanced declared capacities this year, even though we received 800 more students than last year.” Prof. Stephen Kiama Gitahi, vice chancellor of the University of Nairobi, stated on Monday, June 3, that those who would like to join the university can apply for transfer during the inter-university transfer window.
One week prior to the August 19, 2024, reporting date, he declared that the institution will launch its portal for transfers between faculty members and between programs on August 11, 2024.
Helb, however, is only able to finance 17.2% of the first-year students who will be starting university in August and September 2024 and all continuing students due to a financial deficit of Sh11.4 billion in the 2024–25 budget projections. The remaining students would have to fend for themselves.
Beatrice Inyangala, senior secretary for higher education, is expected to meet with the National Assembly Committee on Education to talk about the funding mechanism.
How the dream-killing new university funding model.
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