In a bid to address the current confusion in the funding of higher education, the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) Head of Lending King’ori Ndegwa is set to straighten out the thorny issues in the model.
In a statement, HELB noted that Ndegwa will be participating in an X Spaces forum on Tuesday, August 27, 2024, from 7: 00 pm to address learners’ concerns.
The discussion which features two other panellists, will be moderated by Claire Muinde at a time when both parents and guardians are unsure of their household contribution requirements towards tuition.
With the September intake just days away, higher education learning institutions are in a race against time to re-issue admission letters indicating the correct fee requirements as directed by President William Ruto during his development tour of Kisii County.
This is after parents decried the high fees recorded in the admission letters, leading to their cancellation.
In the new funding model, learners are grouped into five bands, with band 1 being the most needy with a monthly household income of at least Ksh5,995 while band 5 covers families with a monthly income of more than Ksh120,000.
Funding model breakdown
In band 1, the Ministry of Education says the household is required to contribute only 5 per cent of the total education fees required, while the government caters for 70 per cent in scholarships and another 25 per cent will be offered in loans.
Additionally, the learners in this band will be entitled to an annual stipend of Ksh60,000.
For band 2, the government will foot 60 per cent in scholarships, the loans will cover 30 per cent of the tuition fees and the parents or guardians will pay 10 per cent. Also, the learner will be entitled to Ksh55,000 in annual stipend.
Band 3 learners will pay 20 per cent of the tuition while the government will pay 50 per cent in scholarships as loans cover the remaining 30 per cent. The students in this category will be entitled to an annual stipend of Ksh50,000.
Band 4 will see the government pay 40 per cent of the tuition in scholarships and 30 per cent in loans while the household will contribute 30 per cent. Learners will also get a Ksh45,0000 upkeep loan.
In band 5, learners will get a government scholarship of 30 per cent of the tuition cost, 30 per cent in tuition loans and a household contribution of 40 per cent. The learners in this category will also benefit from a Ksh40,000 upkeep loan.
