Let universities seek solutions to society problems

New students report to Kenyatta University on September 06, 2023. [Denish Ochieng, Standard]

The Vice-Chancellors Committee has offered a relief to parents and new students getting into public universities by clarifying that they need not pay tuition fees upfront. There was confusion when at least five public universities demanded up to seven per cent of tuition fees from freshers, joining the institutions this month.

This was despite a directive by Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu to the effect that the universities wait until the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) and the University Fund categorises the students according to their needs. The process is ongoing even as freshers join university and majority of them will need loans and scholarships for tuition, accommodation and even upkeep.