Kisii Ward Reps Ask Gov’t to Further Review Varsity Funding Model 

A section of Kisii Ward Reps Tuesday rooted for further reviewing of the new university funding model. 

They said in its form, the model was locking out majority students from accessing education.

They said some are already wrongly placed on bands where fees was still prohibitively high for them.

Speaking to journalists County Assembly Deputy Speaker Jacob Bagaka and Boochi Tendere MCA James Ondari said the funding mode can only be seen to function properly if poor students are given a chance at education.

“The president actually stood on this ground and asked the education ministry to dispatch fresh letters and saying no student would miss education because of fees, unfortunately we have again seen the students asked to pay as high as Sh92,000 per semester, fees that is beyond the reach of vulnerable families to afford.”

“It is our request that the ministry through CS Ogamba Migosi to further review this model so that we don’t lock anybody out of studies because they are poor,” said Bagaka.

According to Ruto the new funding framework was mean to replace the Differentiated Unit Cost (DUC) previously used to finance universities.

It prioritises a student’s financial need and separates placement from funding.

Universities and TVET institutions will no longer receive block funding in the form of capitation.

Instead, funding for students will be provided through scholarships, loans, and household contributions.

Bagaka, also Masige West MCA, however, while praising the model he said that it needs to be fine tuned.

Ondari (Boochi Tendere) said they have already witnessed cases orphans being placed in bands of those from wealthy backgrounds.

“By doing so we are doing a great disservice to families suffering from want,” he told journalists.

“As things stand many students will get it hard to join universities,” he said.

He also asked the government to lump all bursaries into a common joint kitty rather than the current situation where the bursaries are spread among many political offices.

“It now looks like tokenism. Why should a governor, MP, Woman Representative all have separate bursary kitties? It makes little sense,” stated Ondari.

By Magati Obebo