Kenyan Budget Cuts Jeopardize University Admissions for 153,292 Students.
Over 153,000 students set to join university in September 2024 face uncertain futures due to budget cuts and underfunding by the Treasury. The Higher Education Loans Board (Helb) and the Universities Fund have seen significant reductions, jeopardizing the admission process.
Students allocated to universities through the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) now confront a crisis. The Helb budget for the 2024/2025 financial year has been cut by Sh710 million, and the Universities Fund by Sh2.6 billion. This emerged during a National Assembly Education Committee session, which reviewed the Supplementary Budget Estimates (No.1) for the 2024/2025 financial year following President William Ruto’s withdrawal of the Finance Bill 2024.
According to the revised estimates, Helb’s allocation has dropped to Sh31.18 billion from Sh31.89 billion, and University Funding has decreased to Sh16.921 billion from Sh19.55 billion. This funding only covers students in their second to sixth years of study, leaving 153,292 first-year students from the 2023 KCSE exams without adequate support. These students are expected to report to their universities in September 2024.
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Higher Learning Principal Secretary Beatrice Inyangala revealed that the continuous underfunding by the Treasury has left the State Department with a Sh22.9 billion budget deficit. This includes Sh13.7 billion under Helb and Sh9.1 billion under the Universities Fund, impacting loans and scholarships for students nationwide.
The National Assembly Education Committee, led by Julius Melly, questioned the criteria used by the National Treasury for the budget cuts. Igembe North MP Julius Taitumu asked if these deductions were based on statistics or merely to balance the budget. Lugari MP Nabii Nabwera voiced concerns about the additional budget cuts in critical areas like student funding, which the government had already underfunded.
“These Gen Z’s were already protesting due to inadequate funding. With further cuts, do you expect them to return to the streets?” Nabwera questioned.
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Mandera South MP Haro Abdul expressed his dismay, stating, “It is very disheartening to see students who have graduated potentially miss out on university admission due to underfunding. It’s also concerning that those already in universities may drop out because of insufficient funds.” He added that it would be a disservice for the committee to approve the budget as it stands, knowing the critical nature of student funding.
Nyamira Women Representative Jerusha Momanyi emphasized that the existing crisis would continue without adequate funding. “We need to speak to the Treasury to ensure critical areas receive sufficient funding,” she argued. Her sentiments were echoed by Narok MP Tonkei Rebbeca, who also questioned the reduction in university funding.
National Treasury officials struggled to explain their decision to cut funding but admitted they had not consulted the State Department on the matter. “We did not consult the department because this is not a normal Supplementary Budget. After this, we hope to sit and rationalize,” said Nehemiah Odero from the Treasury.
Committee Chair Julius Melly directed both parties to engage in consultations to ensure adequate funding for critical sectors under the Higher Education Department, especially student funding. “We will see what can be done about student funding. We can pressurize the Budget Committee to address this issue. It would have been prudent for the Treasury to consult the State Department to identify non-critical areas for cuts instead of essential ones,” he stated.
The budget cuts have sparked widespread concern, highlighting the urgent need for a sustainable solution to the funding crisis. The future of over 153,000 students hangs in the balance as they await their university admissions. The government’s approach to resolving this issue will significantly impact the accessibility and quality of higher education in Kenya.
Kenyan Budget Cuts Jeopardize University Admissions for 153,292 Students.
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