Shock as universities defy student fees, admission guidelines

Graduants during the University of Nairobi's graduation ceremony at the main campus on December 16, 2022. [Elvis Ogina, Standard] It is now emerging that some university heads have defied guidelines issued under the admission of new students under the new funding formula. The Standard has established that various universities seem to flout the arrangement initially announced by the government as they indicate the intention to review fees, a matter long settled. Universities Fund chief executive Geoffrey Monari had indicated that fees declared by the various universities would stick for the entire course period. Monari indicated that the universities are not allowed to review fees for students already admitted. He said the reviews can only be done for new students in subsequent years. "The understanding we had with the President when formulating the new formula was that fees for each course would remain throughout their course period, thus universities should not review while the student is midway through their university," Monari said. But samples of various university admission letters reveals that various university heads have defied the regulations governing the new funding formula. An admission letter for Kisii University seen by The Standard indicates that the new students will only receive government funding for two academic years. "The government will categorize you (student) into the various student categories - vulnerable, extremely needy, Needy, Less Needy/Able. Failure to apply for the support, the University expects you to cater for your full fees. This offer is valid for only two academic years," the letter reads. It further indicates that the university fees could be reviewed in contrast with earlier communication from the University Funding Board "Please note that the University fees are determined by the University Council and approved by the Universities Funding Board (UFB). The council may revise the fees structure at any time it deems necessary," reads the Kisii University letter. The admission letter is for a Bachelor of Arts Education. Similarly, another admission letter from Rongo University also suggests that the institution could revise the fees when necessary. "This fees structure may be revised by the university council when necessary," the letter for Bachelor of Education in Special Needs reads. Monari said the government will fund university programme depending on the period learners will study. "This can be four or five or six years depending on the length of the programme," Monari told the Standard on Monday. He said that he would write to the Cabinet Secretary for Education and follow up on the matter to ensure it is addressed accordingly. At Moi University, an admission letter seen by The Standard warns students that they will not be allowed to take part in the admission exercise if they have not cleared their fees. "No student shall be registered in the University without paying fees," the Moi University admission letter reads. On Wednesday, the Leader of the Minority at the National Assembly expressed reservation over the new university funding formula noting it was the reason behind thousands of students shunning application to university. Data released by the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service reveals 870,561 candidates were eligible for universities and colleges places but only 285,698 students submitted applications for placement to universities and colleges. Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu while releasing the results revealed some 23,000 students had skipped the university placement exercise despite scoring a university entry mark of C+ (plus0 and above. At the same time, 136,592 representing 63.94 per cent who qualified for diploma courses did not apply, and some 249,149 who qualified for certificate courses also shunned the admission exercise. "The Kenya Kwanza government announced a new funding model that has created confusion and dashed hopes for thousands of youth who sat KCSE exams in 2022," the statement by Opiyo Wandayi reads. Wandayi now wants the government to reopen the admission portal to give a chance to the learners who he argues that the cost of application placed at Sh1500 and a lack of information led to the big number of students shunning the university and college places. Wandayi also terms the various new course fees in universities terming them exorbitant. "Kenyans have further noted with shock and dismay the hefty fees and bloated fees structures from Kenyan public universities. That it will cost a Kenyan household through a government sponsored Bachelor of Pharmacy programme in Maseno University Sh428,000 and Sh336,000 in JKUAT for an engineering course a year is outrageous," he said. Under the new funding formula a whooping 95,000 students who sat the 2022 KCSE examination will majorly depend on student loans to finance their university education. "The purported new funding model has fraudulently shifted the burden of funding college studies from the government and placed it squarely on the shoulders of parents and learners through expensive loans," it reads. The formula has classified students in four categories which will influence how much money they get in terms of government scholarships, loans and amount they will pay out of pocket. The four categories are vulnerable, extremely needy, needy and less needy. Learners categorised as vulnerable and extremely needy will be the biggest winners of the new formula as they will not pay anything out of their pockets during their course period. Instead, their fees will be partly drawn from student loans and government scholarships. According toMachogu only 45,000 students fall under this category. The leader of minority reads mischief in this, noting that the new classification has cunningly placed very few in the category of Vulnerable and Very Needy and who will qualify for 100 per cent support in scholarships and loans. "The new classification leaves the majority to struggle with huge student loans and parental burden. Needless to say that many children will drop out of university," the statement reads. Under the new funding formula, students will be required to make a formal application through the Higher Education Financing portal accessible at www.hef.co.ke. This effectively will mark an end of the former funding model where the government funded all students that scored a C+ (Plus) and above.

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