Don't make universities inaccessible to the poor

Education is the most powerful tool you can use to change the world. These are the words of Nelson Mandela who underscored the centrality of learning in development, self-growth and the general well-being of both individuals and society.

The recent trend in government seems to negate this great advice. When the Kenya Kwanza government took over, one of its major priorities was the review of the competency-based curriculum and university funding model. It was the opinion of the leadership that the old funding model was outdated and unsustainable.

As a result, a task force was formed to come up with ways or models that would not only shift the funding but also factor the vulnerable in society so that tertiary education does not become a preserve of only those who can afford it. The president launched the new model with fanfare and said the government would take care of the disadvantaged. But that doesn't seem to be the case anymore.

After the launch, Education ministry officials said the new model was unsustainable and reviewed it. In the review, the vulnerable parents and children will have to pay at least five per cent of the fees charged. This means they will have to find ways of raising up to Sh30,000 to have access to university.

This is not only thoughtless but also insensitive. These are families that can barely put food on the table; those who by sheer miracle made it through secondary education. It is the government's responsibility, as articulated by government officials, to take care of such learners. The government has the responsibility of fending for its citizens and if it abrogates that role that would be an indictment on the leadership.

When the review was being done, it was not to make life miserable for those who depend on government scholarships to learn, it was to come up with ways to increase funding through ingenuity. Chances are high that many of these learners will miss out on higher education or will gamble through the years in college. This is unfair to the learners. Give them an opportunity to change the world.