Written By Lisa Murimi
Students at the University of Nairobi (UoN) began a strike on Monday, September 2, protesting against a new university funding model they argue is detrimental to their education.Â
The students had planned to march to the Ministry of Education, but were stopped by police at Serena Hotel, who were checking the legality of the demonstration.
The protesters carried placards and chanted slogans, expressing frustration over the delayed funding for new students and the overall increased cost of university education.
They argue that the new model could exclude many deserving students from accessing higher education.
On August 16, the University of Nairobi’s Student Council announced their intention to rally, and by August 31, they had called for a nationwide strike.
They accuse the funding model of being discriminatory and punitive, particularly impacting students from low-income backgrounds.
The Ministry of Education revealed on August 23 that nearly 10,000 students have appealed against the new model via the Higher Education Financing (HEF) portal.
Meanwhile, the University Academic Staff Union (UASU) at the Technical University of Kenya is also on strike, following a 7-day ultimatum issued on August 26.
