The controversial model has left thousands of students on the verge of dropping out of university after they were placed in bands that their families cannot afford to pay.....CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
President William Ruto has now opted to engage university students directly on the new Higher Education Funding Model after talks with university student leaders flopped.
The President will engage the students at a townhall meeting tonight at then Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi.
The which appears to have been coined at the last minute is set to kick off at 7pm.
During the session, the Head of State will address questions from participants in a bid to ensure that students and Kenyans at large are well-informed on how higher education will be funded in the country.
The controversial model has left thousands of students on the verge of dropping out of university after they were placed in bands that their families cannot afford to pay.
More than 10,000 students had lodged appeal as of Friday with the number increasing substantially in the subsequent days as students maintaining that their families cannot afford to raise the fees that they were being asked for.
“We have received over 10,000 appeals, and this is an ongoing process. We want to identify where these needy students are so that we can place them in the correct funding band.
“Once we process the appeals, we will update the universities to review the household fees for the students. We will also provide this information on the HEF portal, accompanied by an SMS alert to inform the students,”Universities Fund Chief Executive Officer Godfrey Monari explained.
Despite spirited campaigns by the government, the newly introduced formula which has been termed by proponents as an equalizer continues to face opposition from those who will be impacted by it, including parents and students.
Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura explained in a press briefing that under the model, band I students will receive 70 per cent sponsorship by the government and up to 25 per cent in student loans with parents and guardians meeting the remaining 5 per cent.
“The government has grouped families whose income does not exceed Sh120,000 but is above Sh70,000. In this group, the government scholarship will cover 40 percent while the loan will cover 30 percent. The family will pay 30 percent of the fees,”Mwaura noted.
In band II, parents and guardians will be required to meet 10 per cent in tuition costs with the government offering 60 per cent in scholarship and 30 per cent in loans.
50 per cent scholarship and up to 30 per cent in loans will be offered to band III students with the parents required to raise 20 per cent.
Students in band 4 will receive 40 per cent in scholarship and 30 per cent in loans with parents and guardians expected to cover the remaining 30 percent.
Those in band 5 will be required to pay 40 per cent with the government pumping in 30 per cent in scholarship and another 30 per cent in loans…CONTINUE READING>>
