Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has appreciated the difficulty parents and guardians are having to finance their children's tertiary education.
This is in light of the adjustment of fees undertaken by the government and the introduction of the new funding model for education in universities and TVET institutions.
As per the new model, those qualified for higher education ought to apply for state grants and loans, unlike previously when it was issued freely on educational performance merit.
In the face of all these, the Embakasi East representative in the National Assembly wants the students to express their dissatisfaction with things.
Babu called on student leaders countrywide to organise peaceful protests to compel the government to reconsider the changes undertaken in higher education.
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According to him, the changes have placed education on borders of extinction.
"Student leaders across the country should come out and hold peaceful demonstrations to protect parents from paying heavy university fees hiked by the government. Wake up comrades and save the future of our children, save our education system," he said.
The lawmaker is on record accusing President William Ruto of 'killing' the education system through the raft of changes sanctioned which he says are up to no good with respect to the common citizenry.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education extended the deadline for university students seeking loans and scholarships for their higher education to make their applications.
CS Ezekiel Machogu said the deadline would be set to be on October 7, 2023.
“The application period for loans and scholarships that was initially scheduled to lapse on September 7, 2023, has now been extended to October 7, 2023,” read his statement in part.
Machogu at the same time directed the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) to review its portal to ensure all the 2,000 students yet to reach the age of 18 apply for HELB loans.
The Education CS also directed the Universities Fund and Higher Education Loans Board to put measures for speedy processing of scholarships and bursaries for students who applied and for the institutions of learning to provide enough lead time for first-year students to report.
