Players in the higher education sector have teamed up to find ways of improving access to higher education particularly to bright students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

A breakfast forum hosted by Mount Kenya University (MKU) Foundation last week on scholarships at a Nairobi hotel which brought together government and non-governmental players discussed ways of enhancing partnerships and funding.

 Among the participants were Higher Education Loans Board (HeLB), National Government Constituency Development Fund Board, Universities Fund, Equity Group Foundation, Plan International, Hope Worldwide and Islamic Relief-Kenya.  

Others were Amara Charitable Trust, Digna Foundation, Elimisha Trust, Affecto Foundation, I &M Bank Foundation, Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), Murang’a county Government, Teach For Kenya, Akothee Foundation.

 The forum came on the backdrop of the recent roll-out of the new Variable Scholarship and Loan Funding model for university students, which has brought changes in how university students pay their fees.

 Previously, the government was funding university education through a Differentiated Unit Cost model—where its contribution to public universities was expected to be 80 percent but in light of changing costs of mounting academic programmes and economic circumstances, it had to change,  noted Geoffrey Monari  (pictured), CEO Universities Fund. 

 “In 2022, the government could only raise 44percent. It was, therefore, prudent to introduce a new model that uses a ‘Means Testing’ instrument to ensure university students receive government funding based on their financial ability to pay fees,” he said.