Kenya: VCs suggest triple fees for new intake of university

Last updated on September 11th, 2021 at 02:35 pm

The new cohort of university college students ought to pay Sh48,000 in lessons fees, three instances the cutting-edge Sh16,000 if a inspiration by means of vice chancellors is adopted. 

The prices amplify is intended to plug income holes created through the de facto abolition of the privately sponsored students programme in 2015 and cowl for mounting education costs.

  “It is proposed that lessons prices paid by government-sponsored pupil ought to be raised to Sh48,000 and that the enlarge takes effect for the new consumption of government-sponsored students only,” the VCs say in a document. 

If adopted, 125,449 students who sat the 2019 KCSE checks and qualified for college locations should be the first to bear the burden.

The college bosses say the Sh16,000 rate was once enforced in 1989 — when the value of taking a scholar via college was once Sh120,000 per yr — and reviewed in 2107. The determine has ballooned to Sh254,644 per year 31 years later. 

However, the government has expanded funding per student, with the new cohort allocated Sh171,051 on average. 

“The government funding mixed with the direct charges paid via college students falls short, with Sh67,593 of the total estimate to annual value of taking a student via university… roughly 25 per cent of the complete cost,”  the record reads.

The VCs advise that college students shoulder some of the shortfalls left. 

The fee increase is phase of other proposals via managers to revive the ill university sector.

The blueprint ‘Status of University Education in Kenya: Challenges and Way Forward’ was once organized through Prof Geoffrey Muluvi who chairs the Vice Chancellors Committee. Prof Muluvi is the vice chancellor, South Eastern Jenya University. 

The VCs choose the Higher Education Loans Board to make bigger loans superior to college students to cushion them from the prices hike. 

“The amount of Helb loans and bursary prolonged to students from needy backgrounds be accelerated at an agreed share to the accepted rate increase,” they say. 

But Helb boss Charles Ringera stated they have been now not aware of the concept and it would intrude with their financial planning. 

“Remember, Helb has a fixed finances from Treasury as voted via Parliament 12 months on year. This year, it is Sh16.5 billion with with the Exchequer finding Sh11.3 billion and AIA coming in at Sh5.2 billion,” Ringera advised the KnowAfrika. 

(TheStar)