Sossion Calls For Review of New University Funding Model.
Former Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary-General Wilson Sossion has asked for a review of the new university funding model, claiming it lacks inclusivity.
Sossion, speaking on Wednesday, said that the model’s implementation was problematic since it excluded major stakeholders, including students, lecturers, and the general public.
He argued that the Vice Chancellors shouldn’t have been in charge of setting the level of fees at public universities.
Sossion went on to say that if leadership had been stronger, the model would have been easier to implement, and impoverished households could have benefited more from scholarships and the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB).
He spoke to the Sh84 billion allotted annually for school funding, stating, “If implemented correctly, vulnerable students would be in Band One, but the current model is creating imbalances.”
Protests have erupted against President William Ruto’s new finance strategy, which he unveiled in May.
Students at the University of Nairobi demonstrated against the system on Monday, arguing it unfairly distributes resources and will have a negative impact on higher education access.
Rocha Madzayo, leader of the University of Nairobi Students Association, urged students across the country to reject the concept.
Madzayo said that the proposed strategy will “cripple university education” and urged the Ministry of Education to rethink.
Ruto defended the funding scheme, asserting that the goal was to prioritize students over universities.
Despite the government’s defense, over 12,000 students have filed appeals to the Higher Education Financing (HEF) site, challenging the financial allocations.
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The approach categorizes students into five groups based on their family income.
Band One, for the most financially challenged households, covers 95% of expenses through government scholarships and loans, leaving students to pay the remaining 5%.
However, Band Five, which targets households with a monthly income surpassing Sh120,000, mandates them to pay 40% of the expenses.
Critics, including certain education stakeholders, believe that the model’s approach prevents many poor students from pursuing their aspirations, making higher education less accessible to vulnerable groups.
Sossion Calls For Review of New University Funding Model.
