University students anxious as confusion over funding model persists

Anxiety has gripped parents and university students over the new funding model for universities and technical colleges that is based on family income.

They claimed that several students risk not joining university after the government awarded what they described as peanuts to needy households.

Other parents questioned the legality of obtaining private data to establish the parent's financial status and records, saying it violates their privacy protected by laws and the Constitution. 

"Government has accessed Kenyans' private data using their identity cards. It obtained their private records without their authority which is a violation of the Constitution," said David Ofwoko, a parent in Mombasa.

He said that the government has not explained what was wrong with the previous funding model, and the new one will burden students and parents with loans.

Mr Ofwoko said there were concerns over how the government arrived at the financial bands, which have categories of students and parents, introducing a classification of the rich and poor in the society.

Yesterday, Elijah Hare, who scored an A- in the 2023 Kenya Certificate for Secondary Education at Mekatilili Memorial Secondary School in Kilifi County, said that the new funding model has created confusion.

Hare received admission to Egerton University to study Medicine and Surgery. He said it was difficult to explain the new model to well-wishers financing his first year.

“I was admitted here yesterday through the intervention of a well-wisher after I failed to secure the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) funding,” he said.

He said the previous admission letter indicated that he would pay Sh490,000 for the first year with additional expenses for transport and accommodation, bringing the total to over Sh500,000.

His family, which survives on casual jobs, was unable to raise the amount and was forced to look for a well-wisher who agreed to pay half of his first-year fees after he failed to secure the Helb loan.

However, he is worried that the new university funding model could affect his fee payment plan, considering that any slight changes might affect the agreement he had with the well-wisher.

"I applied for the new university funding model, but I'm yet to know which band they have placed me in. I'm worried because I don't know how much I will be required to pay with the new developments," he said.

His father, Justin Hare, said: "The well-wisher was okay with the previous fee structure if things change, we don't know what might happen."

In Taita Taveta, parents and teachers also expressed mixed feelings over the new funding model for university and Technical Vocational Education and Training (Tvet) students.

Paul Olinga, a parent, said the funding model will not ensure inclusion and education for all as enshrined in the Constitution.

“The new funding model is a big fraud and will frustrate the education of bright children from poor families. The government should revert to the old system, which had been beneficial to all regardless of the family status,” he said.

However, Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) Executive Dan Oloo supported the new funding model saying it will ease the burden for the poor and the rich will pay for their children's education.

"The rich people should pay more than the poor in any society. The government should ensure that poor students are given full scholarships," said Oloo.

Under the new funding model, Band 1 has students whose family monthly income does not exceed Sh5,995 while Band 2 ranges from Sh5,995 to Sh23,670.

Students from families with a monthly income of between Sh23,671 and Sh70,000 are placed in band 3, while those between Sh70,000 and Sh119,999 are in bands 4 and 5 which receive the least funding in terms of scholarships.

In Rift Valley, parents have opposed the new university funding model introduced by the Ministry of Education, dubbed the Student-Centred Funding Model (SCFM).

Under the model, students contribute a portion of their tuition fees based on tier one to five, which groups students from low-income families to higher-income ones respectively.

However, some parents have decided to pay full fees for their children, claiming the new funding system is confusing.

“At this point, I do not care about the new funding model because it has not considered all students,” said Gladys Wambui, a mother of two.

Wambui said that the criteria used by the government to group students- Means Testing Instrument (MTI), has erroneously placed needy students in tier five.

“Some students have complained that despite being from needy families, they have found themselves in tier five, which is a band for families earning more than Sh120,000. If there are inaccuracies then I do not want to be part of it,” she said.

She lamented that the government has not made clear the method used to determine the financial bands.

Another parent said he is not aware of the funding model and he only trusts Helb because it is simplified.

John Barasa said many people are used to Helb and introducing a new model is risky.

“I used Helb along with my siblings. With a new system then it will be difficult for us to understand the process and risks involved,” he said.

Abdulahi Adan claimed that the new funding model has locked out many students.

He said that a change of system will be an avenue for corruption and misuse of funds.

“We do not know how secure the new system will be and I fear that a lot of money will be lost during transition,” he said.

Adan said the funding model was not new because HELB also identified students based on their needs before issuing loans.

“Students from humble backgrounds used to receive Sh60,000 loans while those from families that are better of got up to Sh35,000,” he said.

Under the new system which President William Ruto insisted is ‘here to stay’, continuing students who were under the old Differentiated Unit Cost (DUC) System will continue to receive funding based on DUC.

In Trans Nzoia, parents of students expected to join the university expressed disappointment over the questionable funding model that was likely to deny their children a chance to pursue higher education.

Emmanuel Omong’oluk, 19, from Namanjalala in Kwanza sub county faces challenges raising school fees.

He was placed in band two of the funding categorisation despite his parents being farm labourers.

Omong’oluk who received admission to join Moi University on August 26 to study Bachelor of Education (Arts) says the funding model is confusing.

"My parents are very poor and they work on people's farms and I am not sure if I will be able to raise the Sh18,360 needed for academic admission,” he said.

Gabriel Wamalwa, 19, who is expected to join Kisii University to study Bachelor of Education (Arts), lamented over inadequate funding.

Gabriel's father, Leonard Wamalwa said his monthly income was slightly above Sh20,000 but his son has been placed in band 4.

"My meagre earnings will not comfortably support my son. I feel that my son was placed in the wrong band. I don’t know where to get money to pay fees now that I have two other children in college," lamented Wamalwa.

He appealed to have his son placed on the right band according to his income.

“At band 4, it means I am going to pay Sh42,000 per semester yet at Band 3 where I fall I only need to pay Sh33,000. This is a serious mistake that will overburden many parents,” said Wamalwa.

Joshua Kemei, 20, who is from a poor family is worried that he may miss to join university due to lack of fees.

He was placed in band two despite his parents being unemployed.

Kemei's dreams lay in the hands of well-wishers and the government.

He sat 2023 KCSE at Kibomet Secondary School and scored B plain.

Kemei received admission to join Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology to pursue a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering and Geospatial Information Systems.

Report by Wills Oketch, Marion Kithi, Renson Mnyamwezi, Osinde Obare and Clinton Ambujo