University Students Stage Protests Against University Funding Model

University students in Nairobi have staged protests against the recently introduced University Funding Model. The students, who intend to submit a petition to the Ministry of Education, claim that the new funding model will severely impact university education due to what they describe as an inequitable distribution system.

Rocha Madzayo, leader of the University of Nairobi Students Association, had previously urged all university students nationwide to oppose the new funding model.

“With this new funding model, attending private institutions becomes more affordable than attending public ones. We will continue our protests if the government ignores our concerns,” he stated.

Also read: The new university funding model and its implications

Last week, President William Ruto defended the new university funding model, highlighting its sensitivity to students’ differing levels of vulnerability. The president emphasized that the country requires a funding model that prioritizes students rather than institutions.

“I am now convinced that we need a funding model that focuses on students, not just universities. A model that ensures no child in Kenya is left behind and acknowledges the needs of children from vulnerable families,” Ruto remarked.

Some education stakeholders have criticized the funding model for jeopardizing the aspirations of underprivileged students.

So far, nearly 12,000 dissatisfied students have filed appeals through the Higher Education Financing (HEF) portal, challenging the new funding model.

Godfrey Monari, Chief Executive Officer of the Universities Fund, previously revealed that the review process is underway, with students expected to receive updates on their appeals within three weeks of submission.

This comes amid concerns over the effectiveness of the Means Testing Instrument (MTI) used to categorize students into different funding tiers, with critics pointing to inaccuracies in data and insufficient grading criteria.

The funding model categorizes students into five tiers using eight variables, including parental background, gender, course type, marginalization, disability, family size, and composition.

Also read: Students Criticize Ruto’s New University Funding Model

These variables are combined to assess household needs and determine the appropriate funding level. However, parents and students have complained about misclassification, with the majority placed in the fourth and fifth tiers.

The Ministry of Education has received Sh5.8 billion for student loans and Sh2.8 billion for scholarships, which will be distributed across the five tiers based on need.

This new funding system replaces the Differentiated Unit Cost (DUC) model that was previously used to finance universities.