President William Ruto has defended the new university funding model saying it has been tested and proven to work amid growing national outrage over the new arrangement that has threatened to ultimately see majority of vulnerable students including those from humble backgrounds dropout from tertiary institutions.....CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
Speaking during a Town hall meeting with a section of university students at KICC in Nairobi this evening, the president noted that it is the best model to take the country’s education quality to the next level.
He defended the banding saying it has been used for years and that those mistakenly placed in wrong bands have a chance to appeal.
According to President Ruto, the government has availed additional resources for both HELB and scholarships for students.
“We have taken the amount we are funding our universities from an average of Sh45B to Sh82B every year, that’s the quantum of additional resources we are making available for HELB, scholarships.” He said.
In June this year, Members of the National Assembly poked holes in the new university funding model with fears that it could affect many Kenyans and cause them not to access higher education.
According to the members of the Education Committee in the National Assembly, the variables being used to determine which category a student falls in to get funding cannot be validated.
The government uses the Means Testing Instrument (MTI) model which incorporates the Kenya poverty report, family background, Gender and the previous schools a student had attended.
Yesterday, the president said the Kenya Kwanza administration has hired 56,000 additional teachers in the last two years adding that that’s the reason why the government is introducing the student centered funding model to sort out the challenges being experienced in the universities.
The president stressed that Kenya cannot continue having an education system that shuts out millions of the children of the poor.
“Only 10pc of children from vulnerable families make it to university, it’s serious and is something that depresses me. As a nation, we cannot continue having an education system that shuts out millions of the children of the poor.” Ruto said.
Earlier today, the University of Nairobi (UoN) students staged protests on Saturday over their missing leader and the new university funding model.
The students blocked Uhuru Highway, leading to the deployment of anti-riot police.
Clashes ensued as the police attempted to clear the road, causing significant traffic disruptions.
The missing student leader, Madzao Rocha, is believed to have been abducted by the police, sparking further outrage.
Rocha had opposed the controversial university funding model.
The University Student Association’s Secretary General, Ramesh Saxena, has since demanded his immediate release.
“An injury to one comrade is an injury to all comrades and no one shall no peace till the President is back with us.” Saxena said…CONTINUE READING>>
