State disburses Sh30 billion for secondary, university funding

Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu and Principal Secretary Beatrice Inyangala during a requiem mass for the Eleven Students who perished in a road accident from Mombasa last week. [Samson Wire, Standard]

The government has released Sh30.5 billion for secondary school capitation and university students' scholarships.

The disbursement comes just a few weeks before schools break after the First term of this year's calendar.

In a statement, Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu said the funds will be received by institution heads next week.

"Of the total amount, Sh7 billion will cater for capitation for public schools at the Junior Secondary School level while Sh16 billion will cover capitation grants under the Free Day Secondary School education programme," Machogu's statement reads in part.

"The funds are to be received in schools before they close for the April Holidays next week,"

The government has also released Sh6.794 billion for loans towards the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) and an additional Sh3.98 billion for scholarships through the Universities Fund (UF).

At the beginning of the year, the Ministry gave Sh14.4 Billion to cover scholarships and loans for Government-sponsored first-year students in universities.

The first-year students are the first cohort to study under the New Higher Education Funding Model.

Despite facing criticism, CS Machogu has strongly defended the new university funding model, because it is the most effective solution for Kenyan students.

"We try to determine the level of need and once we do that using a scientifically proven method which is known as means test, we will be able to categorise those coming from poor backgrounds and they will pay almost nil, "the CS said during a past visit to Kisii University.