Engagement with Students and Stakeholders on the New University Funding Model
Image: An image capture of Kabarak University main administration block (Google images).The New Funding Model for Higher Education was launched in May, 2023, with student-centred funding and equity as its core defining elements.
Since then, Ministry has been keen to engage all stakeholders, in full appreciation of the reality that such engagement is necessary for the continuous enhancement of the Model, to attain its defining elements.
Indeed, the Ministry has held a number of open forums with students and other stakeholders, on the basis of which several improvements have been made to the Model.
One of the salient outcomes of the various forums has been the call to integrate students even more in the decision-making process.
This call has been at the heart of recent student concerns, culminating in the announcement of demonstrations planned for 9th September, 2024.
Thus, for greater efficiency and to achieve meaningful student participation and involvement, the Ministry is constituting two timebound Working Committees that will draw membership from the student leadership, in addition to experts and other relevant stakeholders.
The primary task of the Working Committees will be to review the status of implementation of the New Funding Model and make recommendations for improvement.
The specific Terms of Reference for the Working Committees, which will be published within this week after due input from the student leadership, will cover the following broad areas:
- Appraisal of the implementation of the New Funding Model for Higher Education;
- Evaluation of the effectiveness of the Means Testing Instrument in ensuring that the categorization of students captures their socio-economic realities;
- Assessment of the efficacy of the appeals mechanism in achieving correct student categorization for funding;
- Analysis of the cost of programmes in the universities;
- Review of the structure of student loans, the attendant interest rates and the period of payment.
In order to allow room for this open consultative process, the university student leadership is requested to call off the demonstrations scheduled for 9th September, 2024.
This will afford the student community the chance to contribute effectively to issues pertaining to their higher education, while also progressing with their studies without disruption.
