There Will Be No University Fee Increase — PS Belio Kipsang
The government has dispelled rumors that public universities have increased tuition for students enrolling next month.
In addition to disclosing that severe measures would be taken against institutions found to have violated the set fee guidelines, the government explained that it has permitted each of the 32 public universities to determine its own fees in order to raise sufficient funds for its operations.
Belio Kipsang has assured that the government won’t raise university tuition, as students and their guardians had feared.
Speaking in Thika, Kiambu County, Kipsang stated that approximately 45,000 university students will receive free tuition through state sponsorship, while those who can pay will be charged a maximum of Sh22,000 per semester.
On Friday, while speaking to parents, students, and teachers at Chania Boys High School during a fundraiser for the construction of additional classrooms and dormitories, Kipsang reiterated that the government will fully implement the recommendations of the Presidential Working Group on Education, which include the establishment of a national open university.
And the agency tasked with placing students in public universities explained that the new model, in which students enrolled in identical courses at different universities will pay different fees, is intended to increase the institution’s autonomy for effective planning and operations.
According to Kenya Universities and Colleges Placement Service (KUCCPS) chief executive Mercy Wahome, the government has avoided mandating that public universities charge a uniform fee for comparable courses.
Dr. Wahome stated that public universities were free to impose their own fees in order to remain competitive among students.
Universities Fund Chief Executive Officer Geoffrey Monari stated that the new model gives universities autonomy for effective planning and operations.
“Every university should be able to sustain its operations going forward, as the government will no longer provide monthly capitation to universities. “Money will only come from student fees paid at the start of each semester,” he explained.
And yesterday, speaking elsewhere, Vice President Rigathia Gachagua refuted claims that university education would become exclusive to the wealthy.
According to the DP, the recommendations of the Presidential Working Team on Education Reforms ensured that all pupils in the country, regardless of socioeconomic status, would have access to higher education.
No student would be excluded under the new university education system. As the Kenya Kwanza administration, we can assure parents of this,” said Gachagua.
During the 41st Commencement Ceremony at the University of Eastern African Baraton in Nandi County, the DP urged students to remain focused on their studies and refrain from substance abuse.
There Will Be No University Fee Increase — PS Belio Kipsang