Reports have emerged that all parents with students at the Universities and colleges around the nation are expected to pay fees since no child will be offered a hundred percent scholarship regardless of the background.
The earlier plan on this was that parents with the problem of paying fees will be lessened the burden but according to the new funding model, scholarships, tuition fees, household contribution and students upkeep has been interfered with.
Parents will now take part in payment of fees for their students in higher learning institutions since the formula had raised questions on whether there will be sustainability of it for long following the numerous financial problems that the nation is facing at the moment..
In the initial plan where the students were divided into four categories, that is, extremely needy, needy, less needy and the vulnerable, it was indicated that the needy and the less needy were to pay seven percent towards university education.
This meant that the vulnerable were to get 82 percent in scholarships and 18 percent loans with zero percent from households. Extremely needy were to get 70 percent in scholarships and 30 percent loans with zero money from their pockets.
In the new funding model formula, students have now been listed in terms of bands where there is a total of five bands. All the students that will be listed in the five bands will be expected to get an amount of between 40,000 shillings and 60,000 shillings based on household finance strength.
According to Charles Ringera the chief executive of the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB), said that under the first band which was earlier reffered to as Vulnerable category 70 percent will fall under scholarship, 25 percent on loans, five percent on fees and 60,000 upkeep money.
Secondly, the extremely needy students are now in the second band where 60 percent of the fund goes to scholarship, 10 percent on fees and 55,000 shillings on upkeep money.
The previously needy students category are now under the third band which will receive 50 percent on scholarships 20 percent on fees and 50,000 shillings on upkeep money.
Band four which was initially the less needy in the initial funding formula will receive 40 percent on scholarships, 30 percent on fees and 45,000 on upkeep.
The last band which is a new category, will receive a 30 percent amount on scholarship, 40 on fees and 40,000 for upkeep money.
The last four bands are expected to receive a 30 percent amount on loans.
The new funding model comes amidst 116,532 students application for loans and scholarships with TVET applications amounting to 126,825 students.
Out of the number, 220,000 of the students are verified and categorized and the mentioned bands with 109,000 under universities and 111,000 under TVET
However reports have also emerged that schools have not yet received capitation for the funds as it was announced by the cabinet secretary for education, Mr Ezekiel Machogu mid this year. Institutions leaders have been complaining about it since funds need to be disbursed inorder to facilitate operations of these schools even as national exams are about to kick off.
