Shock as universities barred from increasing fees, cost of courses in new funding regime

Graduands during the 10th graduation ceremony at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology at Bondo main campus in Siaya County on March 3 2023. [Collins Oduor, Standard]

She also said that there will be no student applications for courses from the school level under the new funding regime announced by President Wiliam Ruto.

Over the years, Form Four students have always had a chance, just before KCSE exams, to select courses they wish to pursue in universities and colleges.

"This will not be the case any more because at that time the universities may not have published courses and the reviewed costs," said Dr Wahome who was speaking during a media sensitisation meeting on the new funding formula, also attended by representatives from the Universities Fund and Higher Education Loans Board (HELB).

What has now come as a shocker to universities is the revelation that they will not have the chance to change the costs they already attached to each course.

Universities Fund chief executive Geoffrey Monari said that the Fund will sign an MoU with universities stating that stated costs will not be varied.

"But they may vary the costs based on advice by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics and this may include among other factors, the inflation rate," said Monari.

He added: "This was a directive by the President and the fees declared will not be changed. Review of the model will be done periodically to take care of inflation and other factors."

It also emerged that universities may not just hike fees or change the costs of courses arbitrarily.

The main entrance of Kenyatta University. [File, Standard]

If they choose to pursue the course at Masinde Muliro, however, the student fees breakdown will be; Sh128,417 as a government scholarship, Sh185,867 as student loans and Sh23,655.

The first-year fees for a degree in Dental Surgery-which is only offered in two institutions- will also be Sh612,000 at Moi University and Sh512,050 at the University of Nairobi.

Architecture, which also is a favourite among top KCSE performers, will cost Sh367,200 for students admitted to JKUAT.

It is offered in four other universities; at The University of Nairobi, the first-year students will pay Sh347,650, at Kenyatta University Sh306,000, Technical University of Kenya Sh288,000, and the cheapest institution for the programme will be the Technical University of Mombasa at Sh275,400.

Tuition fees for a Bachelor of Pharmacy, offered in eight private and public universities, is set at 492,660 at JKUAT while Maseno and Kenyatta University will charge Sh428,400.

Proceed to private universities

The cheapest institution offering the Pharmacy programme is Mount Kenya University which will charge Sh375,000. However, it is worth noting that under the new funding model, students who proceed to private universities will not get government scholarships.

Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine, which is offered in only two universities, will cost Sh442,850 at the UoN, and Sh312,340 at Egerton University.

Engineering programmes will also be among the most priced courses: The University of Nairobi for example will charge the highest fees of Sh374,850 for its Civil, Electrical and Electronic Engineering programmes.

The Technical University of Kenya and the Technical University of Mombasa will charge the least fees for the Civil Engineering programmes, at 300,000 and 302,940 respectively.