State needs Sh65b to fully fund post-KCSE transition

Michael Denga of Nakuru High School is celebrated by students and teachers at the school after scoring an A- in last year’s KCSE examination. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

The government requires an estimated Sh65 billion to realise 100 per cent transition for all students who sat the 2021 KCSE examination.

The fund will cater for capitation of students who will be enrolled in universities and middle-level colleges. It will also include subsistence funding by Higher Education Loans Board (Helb).

Calculations by the Saturday Standard reveal that for universities education alone, the government will require Sh25.8 billion if 143,140 students who attained C+ and above secure admissions.

Ordinarily, the government allocates Sh140,000 to each university student per academic year to cater for tuition. This translates to Sh20 billion per year. 

At the same time, Helb chief executive Charles Ringera said the agency will require some Sh5.8 billion to cater for all students who will join universities.

Helb provides long-term loans, ranging between Sh40,000 and Sh60,000 per year for upkeep and purchase of learning materials for the students.

Ringera said the Sh5.8 billion is premised on each university student being allocated Sh40,500 per year.

According to the CEO, funding for Helb has been dropping, with some Sh3.2 billion already lost to budget cuts and slowed loans recoveries as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“If the Treasury will allocate us Sh11.3 billion and we recover loans to the tune of Sh4.5 billion, then we may revert to our Sh40,500 per-student allocation,” said Ringera.

For students who will join Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) institutions, the government would require Sh40 billion to fund all the learners.

Identified capacities

Sh18 billion will be fund capitation for 572,113 students who scored between C (plain) and D–. The cost of training 28,000 students who scored E has not yet been factored in.

The government spends Sh30,000 on each TVET student annually. The average fees is Sh56,000.

Additionally, Helb will require another Sh22 billion to supplement the government capitation for all students enrolled in TVETs to cater for their fees with each learner getting Sh26,400.

Another Sh13,600 is disbursed for upkeep. Cumulatively, the total amount Helb requires to fund each TVET student is Sh40,000 per year.

According to  Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha,  President Uhuru Kenyatta has directed that the 100 per cent transition policy to higher education be implemented.

“We have created opportunities for academic progression for all the 747,161 who sat the 2021 KCSE examination,” said Magoha.

He said Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) has identified capacities for universities, colleges and TVET institutions.

Magoha said KUCCPS has been instructed to ensure all KCSE candidates get placements in post-secondary institutions.