Ruto: Students Can Appeal Financial Aid Band Placements

President William Ruto has assured students who are not satisfied in the financial aid band that they have been placed in, have an opportunity to appeal.

This comes after some vulnerable students were assigned to bands that they cannot afford.

The president noted that of the 134,000 students who applied for the University Funding Model, 26,000 have appealed, stating they were placed in bands that do not reflect their financial situation.

READ: Students Criticize Ruto’s New University Funding Model

During a Town hall meeting with university students on Sunday, President Ruto acknowledged the concerns raised by students.

“I have engaged with students in various forums, and they have expressed concerns about being placed in the wrong bands. I assured them that these issues can be corrected,” he said.

The president also defended the University Funding Model, emphasizing that banding has existed since 1996.

ALSO READ: How Good Starlink is, Compared to Safaricom

He clarified that his administration only added one more band, increasing the total from four to five.

“There has always been banding. Contrary to some beliefs, this model did not introduce banding, it has always been part of the system. The only change we made was increasing the bands from four to five,” he explained.

President Ruto stated that he sought consultation from various stakeholders, including Vice Chancellors, about the effectiveness of the University Funding Model and received positive feedback.