Helb gets Sh5 billion as varsities gear up to admit freshers from Monday
The Ministry of Education had, by Friday, released Sh5.2 billion to the Higher Education Loans Board.
Cabinet secretary Julius Migos said the disbursement would be completed by August 30.
“Following the opening of the Higher Education portal for this application cycle, 134,029 applications for loans and scholarships have been received to date,” he said.
The money is for tuition and upkeep loans for students joining various universities starting Monday.
Of the amount, Sh2.8 billion has been released to the Universities Fund for scholarships.
The funds are now being disbursed to the respective university and student accounts, upon ascertainment of students’ reporting and admission.
Mr Migos said 127,591 applications had been categorised into the various bands.
Of the categorised applicants, 12,958 have lodged appeals for re-categorisation.
The move by the ministry to allow students to appeal categorisation into various bands follows a public outcry that many students would miss their slots at universities for failing to raise the requisite amount of fees.
In the new funding model, students have been categorised into bands 1–5, depending on various parameters, including household income.
There have been many cases of students from humble backgrounds being classified under band 5, whose fees run into hundreds of thousands per year.
“The processing of the appeals has now started and will be concluded within three weeks from the date of each appeal. The portal will remain open until December 31, 2024, to allow for late appeals,” said the Cabinet secretary.
Some Kenyans have been pushing for the scrapping of the new university funding model, which they say is discriminatory.
On Thursday, Chief Justice Martha Koome took issue with the model, terming it discriminatory. The CJ said if the current model is implemented as it is, there will be a serious inequality gap in universities.
She called for a review of the whole structure.
However, the Education Cabinet secretary on Friday sought to explain that the re-categorisation would rely on the accuracy of the information provided regarding an applicant’s socio-economic background, affirmative action considerations; socio-demographic factors and family education expenses.
“To ensure that all applicants are categorised fairly and that no one is deprived of deserved funding, we are working with officers from the National Government Administration Office in a multi-agency approach,” said Mr Migos.
“These officers will assist in verifying the information provided by applicants from their respective jurisdictions, across all the 106,600 villages in the country.”
This approach, the CS expounded, underscores the government’s commitment to ensure that no student is left behind.
The multi-agency approach is part of the broader effort by the government to enhance transparency, efficiency and accountability in the funding process and to ensure that funding decisions are based on accurate and verified information.
“We therefore request all applicants to act with integrity and diligence in providing accurate and comprehensive information concerning their circumstances. We reiterate our commitment to work together with all stakeholders, and to promptly and effectively address any challenges that arise in this process,” said Mr Migos.
On Wednesday, the Ministry of Education yielded to public pressure and directed universities to admit all first-year students, irrespective of their ability to pay the household share of fees.
Mr Migos said no student will be denied admission for non-payment of household contribution.
“Qualified students are guaranteed admission irrespective of their ability to immediately pay household contributions,” he said.
Mr Migos directed that vice chancellors of all public universities admit qualified students, adding that they should also facilitate suitable accommodation for them “with the guarantee that necessary fees will be paid upon disbursement of the upkeep component.”
The minister assured Kenyans that the ministry was working with the Treasury to expedite the release of the funds.
rmbula@ke.nationmedia.com
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