By B, KNA
The national government has lowered fees payable by students across all academic programmes in public universities.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba who spoke during the 29th graduation ceremony of Moi Teachers Training College, Baringo, said the move follows extensive consultations between his ministry, the public, students and higher education stakeholders.
Ogamba has ordered public universities to implement a Student-Centered Funding Model for first-year and continuing students starting September 1st.
The CS has urged institutions to update their admissions and finance portals, expressing the government’s commitment to supporting all deserving learners.
He stated that this academic year under the new funding model, the higher education loans board (HELB) and university fund is expected to support 201, 696 first year university students and over 237,000 Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) in addition to 257,523 ongoing students.
Ogamba announced that the disbursement of HELB loans will begin on August 15 of this year after government increased its annual funding from Sh36 billion to Sh41 billion in order to help students settle for their academic journey without interruption.
He encouraged the 2024 KCSE cohort to also apply for the first quarter of scholarship funds for 2025/2026 financial year, whose portal remains open until 31st of August.
“The government is committed to ensure no student is left behind due to lack of school fees,” he said.
Furthermore, Ogamba allayed fears over capitation for basic education saying it is a constitutional right for all learners to benefit out of it thus government shall provide sufficient resources to support the kitty.
“It is going to be done and there is no point to worry since the government is in control” he assured the nation.
A member of the education committee in the National Assembly Joseph Makilap gave an assurance that there are enough resources to ensure that education becomes a success.
He said that the contentious Sh22,000 per student capitation fees is always less the figure because monies for text books has always been deducted.
However, Makilap assured that whenever there is a shortage, parliamentarians are always ready to put more resources in the next supplementary budget for all learners same as for the first-year students who will join in September.
The institution graduated 272 students who had pursued diploma courses in primary education and early childhood development education.
This marked the last graduation on the current school location as its being shifted to Talai Secondary School to pave way for the new Kabarnet University, which begins its operations this September.
Leaders present assured the staff of smooth transition saying none of them will lose their jobs in the transition period.
