New university funding model allows parents to pay lower tuition.
New university funding model
New university funding model
Assertions that the government’s new funding model for students who qualify for university placement through the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) will increase the burden of school fees on parents have been refuted by Prof. Daniel Mugendi, the vice chairman of the vice chancellors of public universities in Kenya.
On Wednesday, Mugendi expressed surprise as to why the subject of school fees is being raised when, in his opinion, the new model does not raise the price of attending a university. “The fact that we are discussing fee increases genuinely surprises me. Indeed, there is no period greater than this one. No fees have changed or increased. Indeed, the government’s plan is one that will benefit everybody, according to Mugendi, who also holds the position of vice chancellor at Embu University.
The new model mandates that after getting admissions letters, each student will independently apply for scholarships and loans, with the amount of financing for each student being determined by the household’s monthly income. It will go into action once the 2022 KCSE candidates are admitted to universities and aims to provide funding for higher education directly to specific students based on carefully chosen criteria.The government has divided those in need of financial assistance into four categories: The vulnerable. Extremely needy. Needy and less needy.
According to the higher education loans board, students who fall into the vulnerable and extremely needy band are eligible for 100% government funding for their studies in the form of scholarships and loans, while students who are considered needy but less needy receive 93% government funding with 7% of the cost of tuition on their shoulders. Government loans of up to 40% and scholarships of up to 53% will be available to deserving students. “If you pick the cheapest program, which costs about Ksh. 122,600, households will only be paying Ksh. 8,500 in tuition to the university each year. How affordable can it be? he asked.
“If you choose the most expensive program—medicine—the household’s yearly contribution will only be Ksh. 42,800. I have no idea what we are referring to when we discuss raising fees. Mugendi continued, adding that the prior amount was far greater than the fees covered by the new financing model. The fact that the old funding model included extra payments that were piled on to the total amount parents would pay in tuition fees.
“The old model where we were paying Ksh. 16,000… . With time universities also became innovative . Again,we started introducing statutory deductions, fees, here and there, computers, internet, and so on… . So in total, students were paying between Ksh. 40k and Ksh. 50k on average,” said the student. So indeed, they are paying less as compared to the present model.
