The Elimu Bora Working Group has called upon President William Ruto to de-gazette the recently appointed 129-member committee tasked with reviewing the new university funding model in Kenya. The lobby group argues that there is no need for further inquiry or deliberation on the matter, as the failure of the current funding system is already evident. Their demand comes amidst widespread discontent with the new model, which has reportedly made university education unaffordable for many students across the country.
Elimu Bora, a coalition of civil society organizations advocating for educational reform, claims that the new funding model has had devastating consequences, locking hundreds of thousands of students out of higher education. According to the lobby group, nearly 600,000 eligible students skipped university placement in 2023 alone, while thousands of others who met university entry requirements opted not to apply due to the unaffordable financial conditions imposed by the new system.
This appeal to revert to the old university funding model is not just a plea for reform but a sharp critique of the government’s approach to educational policy. The group has gone as far as accusing the state of employing delay tactics, weakening opposition voices, and avoiding substantive changes in the education sector. The Elimu Bora Working Group sees the current committee, led by Prof Micheni Ntiba, as an unnecessary exercise that mirrors the tactics of previous regimes that formed commissions of inquiry without delivering meaningful outcomes.
In this article, we will delve deeper into the context of this issue, the consequences of the new funding model, and the broader implications for the future of education in Kenya.
The Context: Kenya’s University Funding Crisis
Kenya’s higher education system has long grappled with issues of access and affordability, but the introduction of the new university funding model under President Ruto’s administration has exacerbated these challenges. The new system, which replaced the previous block funding model, introduced a differentiated unit cost (DUC) formula aimed at aligning the funding of universities with the actual cost of delivering various courses. However, this change has had unintended consequences, leading to a sharp increase in the financial burden placed on students and their families.
Under the new model, students are categorized into different funding bands based on their courses of study, with some courses deemed to require more resources and therefore attracting higher fees. The government provides financial aid to students based on need, but many students have found themselves placed in funding bands that make higher education prohibitively expensive, even with government support.
The Elimu Bora Working Group, along with other critics of the system, argue that this model has created a crisis of affordability, effectively excluding large numbers of students from pursuing higher education. They point to the fact that in 2023, over 23,000 students who met the minimum university entry requirements chose not to apply due to the financial strain caused by the new funding bands. Additionally, 136,592 students were eligible for diploma courses, and 249,149 students qualified for certificate programs but were unable to pursue their education due to the high costs associated with the new funding structure.
A Call to Revert to the Old Funding Model
In response to these alarming figures, the Elimu Bora Working Group is calling for an immediate end to the new funding model. The group contends that there is no need for further deliberation or study by the 129-member committee, as the negative impacts of the model are already clear. According to Elimu Bora, the Ministry of Education can resolve the crisis by simply reverting to the old university funding model, which provided more equitable access to higher education for students across the socio-economic spectrum.
“We don’t need a committee to confirm that the new university funding model is terrible and hurts our children. We have seen its devastating effects right before our eyes,” the group stated in a press release on Sunday. Their message is clear: the time for study and inquiry has passed, and immediate action is needed to prevent further harm to students and the education system as a whole.
The old university funding model, which the group is advocating for, provided block funding to universities based on student enrollment numbers. This model, while not without its flaws, was seen as a more equitable system that allowed for broader access to higher education. By contrast, the new differentiated funding model has introduced layers of complexity that many students and their families are ill-equipped to navigate, particularly in a country where financial insecurity is a major barrier to education.
Accusations of Political Maneuvering
Beyond the technical arguments about funding models, the Elimu Bora Working Group has also leveled a more pointed critique at the government, accusing it of using the committee as a means to buy time and avoid implementing real educational reforms. They argue that forming a committee to review the funding model is a political tactic employed by previous regimes to calm public dissent without delivering meaningful change.
“Previous regimes employed similar tactics by forming commissions of inquiry to calm public dissent,” the group noted in their statement. “Despite the solid recommendations from some of the commissions, no significant outcomes were realized, as the regimes failed to implement them.”
This accusation strikes at the heart of the political dynamics surrounding education reform in Kenya. Committees and commissions are often seen as a way for governments to placate critics and deflect pressure without committing to concrete actions. By forming a 129-member committee, the government may be perceived as taking steps to address the issue, but without the political will to implement real change, the committee’s recommendations may ultimately amount to little more than window dressing.
The Elimu Bora Working Group is therefore calling on the Ministry of Education to act decisively and immediately, without waiting for the committee’s findings. They argue that the current funding model is not just flawed but harmful, and that students should not be subjected to what they describe as “experimental policies” that jeopardize their educational futures.
The Broader Implications
The debate over university funding in Kenya speaks to a broader set of challenges facing the country’s education system. Access to higher education is widely recognized as a key driver of social mobility and economic development, but without affordable funding mechanisms, large segments of the population are being left behind. The current crisis has highlighted the need for a comprehensive overhaul of the education system, one that addresses both access and quality.
In the long term, Kenya will need to develop a sustainable model for funding higher education that balances the needs of students, universities, and the government. This will require not only financial resources but also political will and a commitment to ensuring that education remains accessible to all, regardless of socio-economic background.
For now, the Elimu Bora Working Group is urging President Ruto to take immediate action by disbanding the 129-member committee and reverting to the old funding model. Whether the government will heed this call remains to be seen, but the pressure from civil society is mounting, and the stakes for Kenya’s students could not be higher.
Conclusion
The Elimu Bora Working Group’s call to revert to the old university funding model reflects the frustration and concern of many Kenyans who see the current system as fundamentally flawed. With hundreds of thousands of students being denied access to higher education due to unaffordable costs, the stakes are immense. The group’s demand for immediate action challenges the government to prioritize education reform and ensure that no student is left behind.
As the debate continues, it remains to be seen whether President Ruto’s administration will act swiftly to address the concerns raised by Elimu Bora or whether the current crisis will persist. What is clear, however, is that the future of Kenya’s education system hangs in the balance, and the decisions made in the coming months will have a lasting impact on the country’s students and its development trajectory.
