The national government will make key improvements to the university funding model before its full implementation, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has announced. Speaking during Homa Bay County Education Day at Homa Bay High School, CS Ogamba assured Kenyans that the government is committed to addressing concerns raised by students and parents over the model’s effectiveness.
The new funding model, introduced to address financial crises that have plagued higher education institutions, has faced criticism, with complaints about incorrect student classifications for financial aid. Some parents even petitioned the courts to scrap the model, leading to a temporary suspension by the High Court. However, the Court of Appeal later permitted the government to proceed with implementation.
CS Ogamba stated that the model would be modified in line with recommendations from the National Committee on the Review of the Model. “The court has pronounced itself on the implementation of the new funding model. I say that the government will implement the funding model with modification in accordance with the suggested changes,” he said.
He further confirmed that the Ministry of Education would publish the framework of the revised model within 14 days to ensure clarity for both current and future university students.
The government has already allocated Ksh41 billion to support the education of 240,000 students in universities. Additionally, measures have been put in place to ensure a smooth transition from junior to senior secondary schools under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC). Ogamba highlighted the employment of over 76,000 teachers and infrastructure development through the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) as steps to ensure that students have adequate learning facilities.
Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) CEO Charles Ong’ondo noted that curriculum designs for senior secondary schools are being distributed to education officials and that evaluation of textbooks will commence next month. The distribution of books to public schools is set to begin in June, ensuring that all institutions receive materials in time.
Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga emphasized the importance of collective support for education and highlighted her administration’s contributions, including the construction of 240 Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) classrooms since 2022.
As the government moves forward with modifications, stakeholders are urged to support the improved funding model to ensure sustainability and fairness in university education.
