University Fee Structures Confusing Parents, Legislators Urge Ministry for Clarity.
Members of Parliament have raised significant concerns about the fees being charged to the over 140,000 students set to join universities in September. The National Assembly Education Committee highlighted a lack of clarity in the current fee structures, which only present the total amount without specifying the contributions expected from the government and the parents.
Legislators argue that the admission letters issued under the new university funding model are misleading parents and students. They are calling for amendments to these letters to include a detailed breakdown of the costs. Kitutu Masaba MP Clive Gisairo pointed out that some parents, upon seeing the quoted fees, find them unaffordable and are consequently steering their children towards police recruitment or military enlistment instead of higher education.
The funding model, introduced in September, aims to provide financial support to government-sponsored students based on their financial needs. This model categorizes students into five bands according to their financial ability, ranging from the most needy to the least needy. However, MPs have criticized the classification method, describing it as unreliable and susceptible to errors.
The Ministry of Education utilizes a scientific method known as the Means Testing Instrument (MTI) to evaluate a student’s ability to pay fees. This method considers various factors, including parents’ income and employer, medical expenses, the schools attended by the student, the poverty index, and vehicle ownership. Despite this, MPs argue that these parameters fail to accurately reflect a student’s financial background. Kabondo Kasipul MP Eve Obara highlighted that during a visit to universities, it was evident that the MTI was not robust enough.
Lugari legislator Nabii Nabwera added that the authorities had assigned some students to fee bands based on inaccurate background information. He noted that several students, classified as capable of paying higher fees, still had outstanding debts of over 200,000 shillings from their secondary school fees.
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Data presented to the committee shows that out of the students identified for government funding in the previous year’s placement, 9,726 students appealed their assigned status. Of these, 4,087 appeals succeeded, while 5,639 failed. Marakwet West MP Timothy Kipchumba questions whether the model was implemented hastily, noting that some students now choose courses based on affordability rather than their qualifications.
Legislators have urged the ministry to address the challenges of the current model and consider reverting to the previous Differentiated Unit Cost (DUC) system. Higher Education Principal Secretary Beatric Inyangala defended the model, acknowledging the gaps but emphasizing that the ministry is addressing them. She stated, “We acknowledge that there are some gaps in this process. Some arise from not getting the right details from the onset. We are analyzing the first year of implementation and noting the feedback to inform any improvement.”
The committee chairman, Julius Melly, requested the ministry to provide a detailed response within two weeks, outlining how they plan to address these shortcomings. As a result, this call for clarity and transparency aims to ensure that parents and students can make informed decisions about their education without ambiguous fee structures misleading them.
Therefore, by addressing these issues, the Ministry of Education can foster a more transparent and equitable system, ensuring that financial constraints do not hinder students from pursuing their desired educational paths.
University Fee Structures Confusing Parents, Legislators Urge Ministry for Clarity.
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