Listen to This Article Enhance your reading experience by listening to this article.

Universities have until today to declare the cost of all degree programmes they offer, a new requirement that will determine funding of the institutions.

Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) Chief Executive Officer Mercy Wahome has said that institutions of higher learning will be required to first declare the cost of programmes for students expected to join in September.

KUCCPS yesterday held a session with academic Registrars of public and private universities to guide them on the process of declaring costs.

“What we will first publish is for students to apply next week, we are focusing on first years for the sake of opening the system and even if you give anything from the second year, it will not be published at this point because it is work in progress,” said Wahome.

She urged the Registrars to ensure universities declare the actual cost of programmes.

KUCCPS expects to open its portal by May 17 to allow the 2022 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination candidates to choose courses.

Student placement

The CEO urged the universities to submit the information in a duly filled excel template, adding that accommodation and meal costs should not be included.

President William Ruto last week announced the new funding model for universities and colleges, saying that starting the 2023/2024 academic year, the process of placing students will not be linked to funding.

Universities and TVET institutions were also directed to disclose and provide information on the cost of their academic programmes to KUCCPS, which will subsequently publish the information prior to placement of students.

“KUCCPS is required to disseminate information on available programmes, their costs, and the areas of study prioritised by the Government. In light of the foregoing, this is to request you to disclose and provide information on the cost of academic programmes in your institutions,” said Wahome.

Even though KUCCPS will publish all programmes, she said the government will only provide scholarships to students who join public universities.

“Students who will select programs in private universities and TVET institutions, will not get government scholarships, and will only be eligible to apply for HELB loan,” she stated.

Ruto said students whose households are at the bottom of the pyramid will enjoy equal opportunity in accessing university and TVET education.

Additional charges

Students from needy households will receive government scholarships of up to a maximum of 53 per cent and loans of up to 40 per cent while their households will only pay for seven per cent of the cost of their university education.

Those joining TVETS will receive government scholarships up to a maximum of 50 per cent and 30 per cent in loans while their households will pay 20 per cent of the costs.

The President stated that the less needy students joining university will be funded through a government scholarship of up to a maximum of 38 per cent of the cost of the programme and 55 per cent in form of loans while their households will pay seven per cent.

For those joining TVETS, they will be funded 32 per cent for government scholarship, 48 per cent loans and their households will pay 20 per cent of the costs.

“Universities will be required to declare and publicise the actual cost of their programmes. No public university will levy additional charges or raise fees without the approval of the University Funding Board,” the President directed.

In the next financial year, 2023/2024, Ruto said, the government has increased the budget allocation to Sh53 billion and HELB loans to Sh31.6 billion, for a total allocation of Sh84.6 billion, an increase of 56 per cent.

“This translates to an increase of funding per student from Sh52,000 to Sh208,000, an increase of 37 per student. The cost of training TVET students will be Sh67,189 per year per trainee down from Sh71,420 for the new intake of May,” said the President.

The new model of funding higher education, to be implemented effective this academic year 2023/2024, will commence with the new cohort of 173,127 students joining universities and 145,325 joining TVETS.

All continuing government-sponsored students will be supported in line with the previous existing funding model.