University tuition fees set for first review since 1995

Public university fees are set to be increased from September, bringing to an end the low tuition charges that government-sponsored students have been paying since the mid-90s.

Commission for University Education (CUE), which regulates varsities, said Friday the increase in fees will be the product of the setting of the maximum charges for each course—which will make science subjects costly compared to liberal arts.

Students starting new academic year after September are expected to pay annual fees above the current average of Sh26, 000.

This will mark the first major shake-up of university fees since the end of free varsity education in 1991 and introduction of the student’s loans scheme-- Higher Education Loans Board (Helb) -- in 1995.

Lecturers will have their pay reviewed depending on courses they teach; meaning tutors in faculties like medicine are set to draw higher salaries than their peers in the faculty of arts and social sciences.

The commission’s chief executive, David Some, said on Friday the review has been delayed by lack of trustees to shepherd the University Fund—which is mandated to cost varsity courses afresh.

Prof Some said trustees have been identified and will be introduced to the public in coming weeks.

“There will be new fees in place come September when the funding board will carry out reviews on the current charges,” he told the Business Daily in the Friday interview.

The Fund is the creation of the Universities Act of 2012 and its responsibilities include advising the cabinet secretary on university funding, develop criteria for allocation of funds to varsities, establish the minimum pay for lecturers and the costing of courses.

READ: Helb seeks alternative finance sources

Of the Sh26, 000, tuition fee, which has remained unchanged from 1995, takes Sh16, 000 with the student paying Sh8, 000 and the other half settled by Helb. The remaining bit is taken by charges like registration, amenity, medical and activity fees.

Prof Some reckons that a number of projects at the universities have stalled as the varsities grapple shortage of funds. This comes in a period that has seen a sharp rise in enrolment of students with a three-fold growth from 62, 677 learners to 194, 528 last year.

This has put a strain on the teaching facilities despite the opening of new varsities over the period.

In 2010, a study backed by the World Bank and the government recommended a new financing model for the universities that would have doubled fees and increased interest paid on Helb loans.

Education secretary Jacob Kaimenyi acknowledged the need to review the fees, adding that the current charges “are too low.”

“There is need to review the amount, this will be made possible with the involvement of all stakeholders involved in university education,” Prof Kaimenyi told the Business Daily last week, adding that a stakeholders conference on the matter will be convened. 

University education in Kenya was free and the full cost was borne by the government until the introduction of cost sharing in public varsities in 1991 in the World Bank-backed plan.

READ: Kenya plans to set up open learning university this year

It resulted in regular students paying tuition fees, accommodation, meals and personal upkeep after government withdrew universal financial support to the universities. But the government offers grant of Sh86,000 per head.

In 1998, the universities begun admitting students on parallel programmes where fees in pegged on cost of a course.

Its charges range from Sh150, 000 to half a million shilling a year. The university fund will do a fresh study on the cost of the courses setting the stage for higher tuition fees, differentiated pay for lecturers and increased grants from the government.