Govt Intervenes as Number of 1st Years Stranded Over Fees Hits 50k

The government has issued an urgent directive to universities after it emerged that the number of first-year university students stuck at home over failure to raise fees under the new university model hit 50,000. 

The Cabinet Secretary for Education Julius Ogamba on Tuesday, September 24, announced that no student would be denied the opportunity to take examinations due to unpaid fees, even if they have not yet made the required household contribution. 

The CS appeared before the National Assembly Committee for Education where he revealed that only 75,000 out of 125,000 government sponsored students had cleared their fees by paying their fees which are determined by their parent’s incomes. 
“We will ensure that those who haven’t paid are allowed to sit their exams,” the CS said.

Ream also: The New Universities Funding Model: All You Need to Know

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss critical issues in the education sector, such as the readiness for the transition to Grade 9 under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) and the implementation of the new higher education funding model.

The Means Testing Instrument (MTI), which divides students into five household income categories to ascertain funding levels, was also addressed as it had issues over its ability to adjust to changes in students’ financial situations.
‍

“Is the system flexible enough to handle changes in students’ economic circumstances? We need assurance that students who fall into hardship after admission will not be left behind,” Lugari MP Nabii Nabwera asked.

Read also: Mwalimu Sacco's On the Spot for Risking Members' Savings

‍
Ogamba acknowledged that the MTI had encountered some challenges in response, but he reassured legislators that measures were being implemented to resolve the issues.

“We are very concerned about the MTI and we are making every effort to eliminate errors and ensure fairness. With our sensitisation campaigns across the country and the setting up of help desks to support students, we expect that those who had internet access challenges will be able to apply. This is one of the reasons for the extended application deadline. We have also instructed all public universities to admit students, without requiring them to pay their household contribution,” he said.

This comes as lecturers are still on strike since Wednesday, September 18 protesting and pushing for the implementation of their 2021- 2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement.

The lecturers have vowed not to return to work until all their demands are met by the government.

‍