Oduk: Retain the Old Higher Education Funding Model
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The government has been advised to retain the old higher education funding model and work on ways to improve it.
Nairobi based politician and businessman Johnson Oduk has advised that the funding model that was revoked by the court was punitive and that the government should take advantage of the opportunity to fix the mess.
Oduk has said this days after the government reinstated the previous higher education funding model in response to mounting pressure from university students and the court order.
“This is a great opportunity for the ministry to soul search and work on ways to improve on the old model and completely bury the mess that was with the revoked one,” he said.
He told journalists that the government’s priority should be to help as many poor families as possible and not to leave the process to individuals who have self interests to serve.
The government reverted to the old model after weeks of unrest across campuses due to delayed disbursements of upkeep funds. The move, which appears to be a temporary measure, ensures that first and second-year students receive financial support while awaiting the outcome of a legal appeal challenging the new funding model.
Joseph King’ori Ndegwa, the lending manager at the Higher Education Loans Board (Helb), confirmed the disbursement of funds, stating that Sh3.7 billion had been deposited into students’ accounts.
“We decided to pay the students under the old funding model.” Ndegwa said, “By this morning, the funds had been transferred, and by the end of the day, students should have received their money,” he added. However, universities themselves have yet to receive their allocations.
The decision follows a ruling that deemed the newly proposed funding system unlawful, forcing the government to seek alternative ways to support students financially. Mr Ndegwa clarified that Helb had no choice but to revert to the old differentiated unit cost model to prevent further disruptions, though there are indications that the funds disbursed might only be a portion of what students were initially entitled to under the new system.
The reversion raises legal and procedural questions, particularly regarding whether the government is adhering to the court ruling or circumventing it. Outside Helb headquarters at Anniversary Towers, students staged demonstrations, blocking sections of University Way to demand immediate disbursement of funds.
“The delay was due to the court case that prevented any action on the new funding model. Over the last two weeks, we have been exploring ways to process payments,” Mr Ndegwa explained.
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