MPs call for re-evaluation of university funding model

Members of Parliament have asked the government to consider remodeling the newly unveiled university funding model to ease access by learners.

The MPs said that a consolidation of all funds meant to facilitate learning in all public and private universities would be a better way of making the fund more accessible to all learners.

They said that the current model was complex and inaccessible to most students, locking many would be learners out of the funding system.

The lawmakers instead want a consolidation of various funding streams, including those from the members of county assemblies, MPs, women representatives, governors, Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) and the University Fund.

Speaking on Wednesday during a meeting with the principal secretary for state department of higher education and research, Beatrice Muganda, the lawmakers said that combining the funds will make access to higher education more accessible.

Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetang’ula who chaired the meeting, backed the proposal emphasizing the need for a streamlined funding process.

“We have MCAs, MPs, Women Representatives, Governors, HELB loans, the University Fund, Presidential bursaries, and private institutions offering bursaries,” Wetang’ula said.

“These funds should be amalgamated. The Ministry of Education should make a policy and legal framework to streamline this process. We can actually make free education a reality,” he added.

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MPs also raised concerns about the University Funding model’s impact on students, particularly those from marginalized areas.

During the meeting, members sought to know whether all students would benefit from the new funding model, noting that a majority of students do not have national identity cards despite applying.

The meeting was also attended by the Vice-Chancellor, University of Embu and the Chairman of the Vice-Chancellor’s Committee, Prof. Daniel Njiru, and the chief executive officer of the Universities Fund Geoffrey Monari.

In addition, several MPs highlighted the challenges faced by students in rural constituencies due to poor internet connectivity.

In response, PS Muganda assured the MPs that students without ID cards could use alternative identification documents including Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) index numbers and certificates.

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Further, legislators raised concerns over the accuracy of the Means Testing Instrument (MTI) in assessing students’ financial ability and determining which Band to place them in.

However, the PS assured the members that the government is committed to equity and pointed out that measures are in place to address the concerns raised.

Members also pointed out the challenges of communication between the Ministry, universities, and the public leading to confusion and misinformation.

On the concerns about communication, PS Muganda said the ministry had communicated well on the funding model but acknowledged the need for improvement.

She assured the House that the ministry was working closely with vice chancellors to ensure students were not turned away from universities.