Narok Senator Ledama Ole Kina has denounced President William Ruto’s new university funding model.
Speaking during an interview on Tuesday, August 20, 2024, Ledama said the funding model for universities is confusing and classifies learners.
Ledama further added that the three bands created by the government in the allocation of funds raise concerns about discriminatory education policies.
“The model of funding of the universities is based on three areas first you say you want to give them scholarships, number two you want to give them loans, number three you want the families to start contributing a certain percentage,” Ledama said.
“You further confuse it you say let us know to discriminate against the poor because in this country we do not have a proper system of identifying who is poor is rich then you say let’s create several bands, band one, the government will provide 70 per cent scholarships to the extremely needy students then you go and say 25 per cent will be given to that needy student as a loan.”
The lawmaker further accused the government of advocating classes of individuals in the learning institutions with the new funding model.
“Then that needy student who can barely afford a pair of shoes is told to contribute five per cent. What you are doing is that you are creating classes of individuals even in school they will be told what percentage is this government giving you 70 per cent, so are the poorest we have to go away from that particular way of thinking. You are discriminating against the education policy introduced to its citizenry,” he added.
Suggesting an alternative model of university funding, Ledama pleaded with the national government to allocate money to schools based on the number of students they enrol adding that each county should contribute a certain percentage of money towards education.
“I want to plead we go back to the capitation system where we locate money to universities based on the number of students they enrol, I think it’s about time we delved deeper into the system of devolution where each county locates a certain percentage of money in education funding,” Ledama said.
Ruto on funding Model
President William Ruto while defending the much-criticised funding model, argued that it was designed primarily to benefit students from extremely poor backgrounds.
According to Ruto, under the new model, universities and TVETs (Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions) will no longer receive block funding based on a Differentiated Unit Cost.
Instead, funding will be more targeted, with needy students receiving government scholarships of up to 53% and loans of up to 40%.
“Parents will only pay 7% of the total cost of their university education,” Ruto said.
