Varsity students’ dilemma as funding chaos persists
Moi University students in Kesses, Uasin Gishu County demonstrate at the entrance of the institution on September 9, 2024, protesting against the new university funding model.
University students across the country face an uncertain start to the new academic year due to confusion and delays surrounding their funding, with legal battles over the controversial new model, leaving many students unsure how they will pay for their education and leading to widespread anxiety and frustration on campuses.
The matter affects first and second year students, since the others are still financed under the old, differentiated unit cost model.
The students' situation was complicated by the month-long lecturers' strike last year.
As a result, the first semester has taken longer, while students had already been given money to last the normal duration of a semester (16 weeks).
The government introduced a new funding model in 2023, in an attempt to try to address the spiraling cost of university education, but it became contentious, with several parties raising concerns about the model's equity.
A petition was lodged in the High Court by the Kenya Human Rights Commission, the Elimu Bora Working Group, the Students Caucus and Boaz Waruku seeking to have the model quashed, arguing it was implemented without proper public participation.
On December 20, 2024, the High Court declared the new funding model unconstitutional. This ruling has left many students in limbo as they wait for a solution to the funding crisis.
“We are supposed to be doing the exams from January 20... I am relying on the new funding model to cover my tuition fees, but now I’m left without any clear information. It’s really stressful. We are totally in the dark,” said Leonella Susan a first year student at Maseno University.
Many students were already battling with the model's complex application procedures and its equally intricate eligibility criteria.
“We have not been given any clear guidance, which is unfortunate. I was initially placed in Band 5, but I appealed, hoping to be moved to Band 2 or 3. Now, as exams are scheduled for January, we’re expected to complete paying our school fees to sit for them. The whole funding model has been stopped. The problem is, we don’t even know how much we are required to pay, which is more worrying,” said Mary Wangare, a first-year student at Multimedia University.
The court’s decision has thrown the Higher Education Loans Board (Helb) and the Universities Fund back to the drawing board, as they scramble to figure out next course of action. With the legal challenges unresolved, there are no guarantees that students will receive the financial support they need in time for the new term.
"I am confused, I am going to Anniversary Towers to seek help... It’s frustrating because I can’t register for classes or buy books until I know how I’m going to pay for everything,” said Mary Kiarie, a student at Kenyatta University.
In 2024, the Government disbursed Sh8 billion for university loans and scholarships for the first-year students currently being admitted in public universities under the new student-centered university funding model and out of the Sh8 billion, Sh5.2 billion had been disbursed to Helb towards tuition and loans for students joining public universities across the country.
The remaining Sh2.8 billion was allocated to the Universities Fund for scholarships.
The Chief Executive Officer of Universities Fund Geoffrey Monari and acting CEO of Helb Mary Wachira, respectively did not respond to our calls by the time of going to press.
Higher Education Principal Secretary Beatrice Inyangala promised to call back but did not do so.
