Sh12 billion to fund study for students in colleges

Graduands at Maseno University during the 18th graduation on December 21, 2018. [Denish Ochieng, Standard]

It will cost the Government more than Sh12 billion to admit all qualified students to universities and technical training colleges this year.

Data from the Higher Education Loans Board (Helb) indicate that it Sh3.8 billion will be needed to admit all the 90,000 students who scored C+ and above to degree programmes.

The board's CEO Charles Ringera said all students who scored the minimum university entry grade had been budgeted for.

A further Sh8.5 billion will be needed to for the 121,000 students expected to join technical vocational education and training (TVET) institutions after scoring between C plain and C– in last year’s Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education.

Education Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed recently announced that the Government was looking for more resources to enhance TVET institutions.

The Sh8.5 billion required for enhanced TVET includes a Government contribution of up to Sh40,000 per student per year.

It also includes a grant of up to Sh30,000 per trainee per year from Helb.