Govt Says More Than 100k Students Have Adopted the New Model of University Funding.
More than 100,000 students have successfully applied for the new university funding scheme, according to the Ministry of Education.
Higher Education Principal Secretary Beatrice Inyangala revealed that 127,623 students have enrolled in the system during her appearance before the National Assembly. The application period is scheduled to run until December 21, 2024.
Inyangala reaffirmed the figures while highlighting how inclusive the new funding approach is.
PS Inyangala said, “Equity, inclusivity, and making sure that no one is left behind are the foundations of this new education funding model.”
The principal secretary claims that the new funding model is a shift from the first block funding model, which gave priority to capitation, to a more individualized initiative.
“By providing financial support to individual students, we have replaced the block funding approach, which directly provided capitation to universities. This guarantees that students from a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds can enroll in universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions, regardless of the cost of the programs,” the PS stated.
By adjusting financial aid according to students’ needs, the new funding structure aims to reduce inequities.
The Means Testing Instrument (MTI) evaluates the financial circumstances of students, taking into account family income as a significant determinant of the amount of financial aid that each student is awarded.
However, PS Inyangala brought attention to inconsistent income data, which made it difficult to determine students’ true financial requirements.
“Determining income has proven to be very difficult. Some students appear to be able to support themselves, yet when they apply for financial aid, they report having very little or no income. She pointed out that 70% of the students reported making Ksh5,000 or less.
This makes it difficult to make sure that the money is given to the people who really need it.
Students who have not yet applied are still being encouraged by the government to take advantage of the extended application time.
Additionally, in an effort to better match financial help to students’ actual needs, the Ministry is attempting to increase the accuracy of income statistics.
Govt Says More Than 100k Students Have Adopted the New Model of University Funding.
