Church call out Ruto for locking their institutions out of government funding
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Baraton University calls for the abolition of the new higher education funding model, saying it is locking students at church-owned institutions from scholarships
Baraton University calls for the abolition of the new higher education funding model, saying it is locking students at church-owned institutions from scholarships.
Church-related organizations urged Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua to ask President William Ruto to rethink the new funding plan for universities and colleges on Sunday.
The University of Eastern Africa, Baraton delivered the warning on behalf of the religious organizations that run the risk of losing millions in government funding in the form of scholarships.
Baraton delivered a statement during the 41st Graduation Ceremony, expressing that unless the funding model is revised, there’s a risk of dwindling numbers that could potentially result in closure.
“Church academic institutions are for non-profit making organizations. What we do is for the benefit of the society,” the University complained of being left out of government-funded scholarship schemes.
“We ask you when you have a discussion with the President to take a soft corner.”
To demonstrate how the new funding model was affecting faith-based institutions, Baraton announced that it had only been able to attract 5,000 students out of 881,416 students who sat for the 2022 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE).
In addition, Baraton asked the Deputy President to check into capitation advances made to private colleges for students enrolled in government-sponsored programs.
For instance, the institution disclosed that it had previously received Ksh70,000 before the government began sending students to private universities in 2017.
The cost was thereafter steadily decreased till it reached Ksh 19,000 in the school year 2022/2023.
“Even students from secondary school pay higher fees than that,” the institution complained.
The Deputy President defending the new funding model noted that it had been necessitated by the need to save universities and students from financial challenges.
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President William Ruto’s government has allocated Ksh15 billion towards facilitating students to join the university in September 2023.
Students who have been placed by Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) will be financed depending on their level of need.
Students from vulnerable categories will have 82 percent of their tuition fees financed through scholarships and 18 percent through loans.
If deemed extremely needy, a student will receive a 70 percent scholarship and a 30 percent loan from the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB).
Students with middle-income level capacity will receive a 53 percent scholarship and a maximum 40 percent loan from HELB while less needy students will receive a 38 percent scholarship and 55 percent loan.
Under the new program, the government will no longer provide sponsorship for students in private universities, who will now depend on educational loans.
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