Higher Education Principal Secretary Beatrice Inyangala has sparked a debate online after she explained how parents will be paying university fees under the new university funding model.
In a statement via X on Friday, August 17 night, Inyangala said the new model categorizes students into five bands based on family income.
Band 1 is for families with a monthly income up to Sh5,995 while Band 2 covers families with a monthly income up to Sh23,670.
Band 3 is for families with a monthly income up to Sh70,000 and Band 4 is for families with a monthly income up to Sh120,000.
Families with a monthly income above Sh120,000 have been categorized in band 5.
Read More
PS Inyangala noted that in band 1 the government scholarship will cover 70% of the university fees, with the loan covering 25% and the family will contribute 5%. Students in band 1 will also be given an upkeep loan of Sh60,000.
In band 2, the government scholarship will cover 60% of the fees, the loan will cover 30% and the family will contribute 10%. Students under this band will access an upkeep loan of Sh55,000.
The Education PS highlighted that students in band 3 will get a scholarship covering 50% of the university fees, a loan covering 30% of the fees and their families will pay for the remaining 20% of the fee. The upkeep loan in this band will be Sh50,000.
On the other hand, students in band 4, will receive 40% in scholarships and 30 % in loans, while the remaining 30% of the fees would be covered by the family.
The bands did not sit well with netizens who said that some students have been placed in bands not matching income of their families.
A section of X users termed the new funding model unreasonable and asked the government to revert to the old model.
Netizens were of the opinion that a section of needy students placed in bands 4 and 5 would struggle with the financing while others said it would cause a huge debt to parents especially those in the last three bands.
Below are some of the reactions from Kenyans.
-1730977661.jpg)
