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The National Assembly Education Committee has expressed concerns about university students potentially being priced out of their desired fields of study.
On Tuesday, June 11, 2024, the Committee questioned officials from the Ministry of Education regarding issues with the University Funding Model and student placement.
Dr. Beatrice Muganda, Principal Secretary of the State Department for Higher Education and Research, stated that students are placed based on merit and choice.
“During the current placement cycle, 14,564 students applied for Medicine, the most expensive academic program. The approved capacity was 689, and a total of 656 students who qualified were placed based on their first choice,” Dr. Muganda explained.
She further detailed that 30 students were placed based on their second choice, 22 on their third choice, 7 on their fourth choice, and 59 based on affirmative action.
Documents reviewed by the Committee reveal that financial constraints might force students to forgo their preferred courses. Despite the Ministry’s claims that placements are based on merit and choice, only a fraction of qualified students secured placements in the Medicine program based on their first choice.
PS Muganda presented data on the 2024/25 placement cycle, indicating that Kisii University had the highest applicant pool of 16,464, with only 7,772 securing placements. Legislators questioned the methodology used by the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Services (KUCCPS) in identifying Kisii University as having the highest capacity of 16,000 spaces available for students.
Committee Members further demanded answers from the Ministry regarding poor communication to university students about tuition fees.
“How can you share fee structures without indicating the government contribution? What are you doing differently this time?” asked Hon. Julius Melly (Tinderet).
According to the Ministry, the process of determining household contributions will commence on June 15, 2024, when the funding application portal opens. PS Muganda added, “Communication on household contributions will be released by July 31, 2024.”
The Committee inquired about the possibility of inter-institution transfers, and Dr. Muganda confirmed that KUCCPS allows a window for such transfers.
However, the Committee was not satisfied and directed the Ministry to recall placement letters and reissue them by July 31, 2024. Additionally, Members of the Education Committee requested evidence regarding the criteria used to evaluate financial situations under the Means Testing Instrument (MTI) used for student placement.
The Ministry is expected to appear before the Committee on Thursday, June 13, 2024, to address these concerns.
