President William Ruto has admitted that universities erred by issuing letters to students set to join various universities starting September 2024.
Speaking in Kisii on Wednesday, August 14, 2024, the Head of State pointed out that universities sent out letters to students showing the cost of the courses.
However, Ruto indicated that those letters were misleading thus ordering for their immediate withdrawal.
Fresh orders
President Ruto directed all institutions of higher learning to send new letters to the students, showing the parents were supposed to pay the right amount of money.
“The letters that our universities issued were misleading because they were talking about the cost of the courses. We want letters to be released and those that were released earlier to be withdrawn.
“The proper letters should be issued with the right amount the parent is supposed to pay and not the cost of the course,” Ruto stated.
The new funding model was unveiled by President Ruto on May 3, 2023. The new model was touted to address the challenge of massive enrolment and inadequate funding.
It was launched to replace Differentiated Unit Cost (DUC) previously used to finance universities. This model prioritises a student’s financial need and separates placement from funding.
Following the launch of the new model, the government scrapped the blocking funding in form of capitation to institutions of higher learning.
President @WilliamsRuto has instructed universities to issue new admission letters that clearly indicate the amount of fees each parent will be required to pay. Parents will not pay the full cost of the university programmes because the Government will provide upto 95 percent… pic.twitter.com/1gjchzFfrE
— Hussein Mohamed, MBS. (@HusseinMohamedg) August 14, 2024
Student leaders reject the model
Ruto’s message comes after student leaders stormed out of the meeting with Principal Secretary for Higher Education and Research, Beatrice Inyangala.
Agitated university students brought the meeting to a standstill, demanding answers on why private university students have not been incorporated as beneficiaries of the new university funding model like their counterparts in public universities.
“Madam PS, one, what is the empirical evidence that underpinned the transition to this new funding model, and how were the potential adverse consequences anticipated and addressed in its formation? No two, Madam PS, how does the new funding model align with the provisions of the constitution that talk about the equality of education to all, including the marginalized?” A student leader stated.
“Our private universities’ vice-chancellors are here with us. We are not puppets. Hatujakuja hapa kuwabembeleza; we are rejecting it in totality. How can 16,000 students be sent to Kisii University while there is a university just here, which has lecturers, and most of the lecturers are young people? We are the ones that are employing young people. In public universities, how many tutors are below the age of 35?” He added.
