MPs express concerns over new university funding model

Members of the National Assembly have poked holes in the new university funding model with fears that it could affect many Kenyans and cause them not to access higher education.

According to the members of the Education Committee in the National Assembly, the variables being used to determine which category a student falls in to get funding cannot be validated.

The government uses the Means Testing Instrument (MTI) model which incorporates the Kenya poverty report, family background, Gender and the previous schools a student had attended.

In a meeting with the higher education Principal Secretary Dr. Beatrice Inyangala, Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) CEO Mercy Wahome, HELB CEO Charles Ringera and university funding board CEO Geoffrey Monari, the MPs claimed thousands could be locked out of university education if the variables being used will not be changed.

According to the MTIs, the government uses tax returns filed by parents, contributions to the National Health Insurance (NHIF) and poverty indexes.

“This is one of the most vulnerable formula I have ever come across, all these independent variables are not verifiable, the parameters you have used for validation, you can’t have authentic results,” charged Kibra MP Mwalimu Peter Orero.

“How many Kenyans are paying taxes and are captured by KRA? How many Kenyans are on NHIF to enable you get verifiable information? You are going to leave out very relevant information when you use that method,” said committee deputy chair Malulu Injendi.

Tinderet MP Julius Melly, who chairs the committee, told PS Inyangala and her team that the gaps in the funding model are glaring.

“There is no need for us to lie to the country, just say if the model is not working and we start afresh,” he said.

However, HELB CEO Ringera defended the model, saying it has worked perfectly so far.

“I want to confirm that these validators are working and are working very well,” he said.

PS Inyangala acknowledged that there had been complaints on the model in the first year of its implementation, and committed to make necessary changes to improve it.

“For the comfort of the public, some of these issues were brought to our attention, we always plan that after the first year of implementation we would gather feedback and reassess and enhance true effectiveness and efficiency,” she said.

According to the formula, families that earn less than Ksh.5,000 will be in band one, and will get 70% of scholarship; 25% of their fee will be a loan while the family will cater for 5%.

Band two will receive 60% scholarship, 30% as a loan as the family pays 10% of the fee, while band 3 will receive 50% scholarship, 30% loan and the family pays 20% of the fee.

Students in band 4 will pay 40% of the fee, get 40% scholarship and 30% loan, while students in band 4 are expected to pay 40% of the fee, get 30% scholarship and 30% as a loan.