The KUCCPs private University showdown.
With the introduction of the new higher education funding model, vice chancellors to private sector universities predict a possibility of exclusion from the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service board. This is in line with a proposal contained in the 2023 amendment deal still in the floor of the house. Restructuring of the board seek to accommodate new changes arising from the new funding model.
Significant changes that the bill proposes include the exclusion of the current two vice chancellors slots for private universities on the board and the discontinuation of government funding for private institutions. The bill also reduces the influence of private university leadership on student placement.
According to the new funding model, students fall into four categories including the vulnerable, extremely needy, needy, and the less needy. the focus of the new model is on providing better financial aid to students facing economic challenges with an aim of realizing education equity.
To classify students into this categories, the higher education fund capitalizes on metrics such as the parents level of income, gender, course, disability, and the size of the family from which an individual students comes from.
According to the Kenyan government, the higher education fund seeks to address loopholes in the previous model through the adoption of a student centered approach. It seeks to provide opportunities for all students regardless of their social and economic background.
Based on the model framework, students from high social and financial classes will receive more loans than scholarships as compared to students from lower social and financial classes.
To facilitate successful implementation of this new model, the Kenyan government has increased higher education funding in the country. This technically means that every student will receive 208 000 up from 152 000 for students in universities. Those in TVET institutions will receive 67,000 shillings per year.
The KUCCPs private University showdown.