Written by Lisa Murimi
In Kenya, the pursuit of higher education often hits a roadblock as socioeconomic constraints limit the dreams of aspiring science students.
A concerned parent’s recent outcry highlights the issue of prohibitive costs associated with science and medicine courses, disproportionately affecting economically disadvantaged individuals.
Education has long been viewed as a ladder out of poverty, yet the soaring tuition fees for science disciplines hinder this ascent. Many Kenyan parents are grappling with the financial strain, pushing them to push their students to pick more affordable options like social sciences.
This troubling trend not only perpetuates inequality but also jeopardizes the nation’s development. Potential doctors, researchers, and scientists are sidelined due to financial barriers, hindering Kenya’s ability to address critical healthcare and scientific challenges.
Addressing this puzzle, Prof. Daniel Mugendi, Vice-Chairman of Kenyan Public Universities, challenges notions that the government’s new funding approach exacerbates the issue. He asserts that the model considers individual circumstances and doesn’t increase overall costs.
“I’m actually surprised that there’s talk of increased fees. There has been no fee hike. The government’s proposed model is actually favorable for everyone,” stated Mugendi, who also serves as Embu University’s Vice-Chancellor.The novel system bases funding on students’ household income, requiring individual applications for scholarships and loans upon receiving admission offers. It comes into effect for the 2022 KCSE candidates, aiming to provide direct higher education support based on well-defined criteria.
The scheme categorizes aid seekers into four groups: vulnerable, extremely needy, needy, and less needy. Under the Higher Education Loans Board, the most disadvantaged will receive 100% government funding, while others will obtain 93% coverage, with students responsible for 7% of tuition costs. Needy students qualify for up to 53% scholarships and up to 40% loans.
Mugendi highlighted the comparative affordability of the new structure, pointing out that for the least expensive program at approximately Ksh.122,600, households would contribute only Ksh.8,500 yearly. Even for the costliest program like medicine, the annual household contribution would be just Ksh.42,800. He emphasized that the previous funding model encompassed additional charges, making the new model more cost-effective for parents.
