Over 12,000 Students Appeal For Re-Categorization Under New Higher Education Funding Model

More than 12,000 students joining universities have lodged appeals to be re-categorized under the new higher education funding model.

Education CS Julius Ogamba announced on Friday that the appeal process will conclude three weeks from the date of each appeal submission.

“Of the categorized applicants, 12,958 have lodged appeals for re-categorization,” Ogamba said.

The re-categorization process will depend on the accuracy of the information provided regarding an applicant’s socio-economic background, affirmative action considerations, social-demographic factors, and family education expenses.

The Ministry of Education is working with National Government Administration Officers to help verify the information provided by applicants from their respective jurisdictions across all 106,600 villages in the country.

Ogamba also stated that the application portal will remain open until December 31, 2024.

Since the portal opened, the government has received more than 134,000 applications for loans and scholarships. So far, over 127,000 applicants have been categorized into various funding bands.

“Thus far, Ksh5.2 billion has been released to the Education Loans Board for tuition and upkeep loans,” Ogamba added. An additional Ksh2.8 billion has been allocated to the Universities Fund for scholarships.

“The funds are now being disbursed to the respective university and student accounts upon verification of the students’ reporting and admission status,” Ogamba explained, noting that the disbursement process will be completed by August 30.

Earlier, Chief Justice Martha Koome proposed the introduction of free higher education to address issues of overlapping bursary programs and the inequitable classification of students under the new funding scheme.

Koome suggested consolidating all bursary funds at the national and sub-national levels to mobilize the resources needed for free tertiary education.

She criticized the current funding model, which places students in different categories based on a socio-economic assessment of their families, as potentially disenfranchising.

“A child who has qualified for university could be crying, saying, ‘I have been placed in Band V when I should be in Band I; therefore, I cannot afford to go to university,’” Koome observed. “In some cases, you may find that a well-to-do family has been placed in Band I,” she added.

Koome proposed merging bursary funds administered by governors, Members of Parliament, and Members of County Assemblies to enhance funding for tertiary institutions.

Previously, lawmakers suggested combining all funds and bursaries supporting needy students to address an apparent funding crisis in higher learning institutions.

The proposed reforms aim to consolidate the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) and all funds, including scholarships and bursaries issued by governors and legislators at both national and sub-national levels.

The current funding model categorizes students into five bands based on eight variables: parents’ background, gender, course type, marginalization, disability, family size, and composition.