Day after Bishops’ Fiery Statement, President of Kenya Says University Funding Model Issues “will soon be resolved”

“We demand that the new university funding model be suspended to allow for further consultations and to ensure justice and fairness to all students,” they said in the statement that representatives of various faith-based entities co-signed, including Bishop Simon Peter Kamomoe, one of the two Auxiliary Bishops of the Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi (ADN).

In his address at the Friday, November 15 graduation at Tangaza University (TU), the Kenya-based Catholic institution of higher learning that was made a fully-fledged university on May 2, President Ruto said he was committed to ensuring that Kenyan students pursuing university education access funding smoothly.

“I am optimistic that the issues surrounding the model will soon be resolved, enabling students to access the financial support they need to pursue their studies without disruption,” the Kenyan President said. 

Unveiled by President Ruto on 3 May 2023, the new higher education funding model aims to address challenges public universities and Technical and Vocational Education (TVET) institutions in the country encounter amid massive enrolment and inadequate funding. 

The new model, which uses socio-economic factors to classify applicants has been criticized for misclassifying students, leading to deserving students being underfunded. 

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Because of the model, President Ruto has been accused of mismanaging Kenya’s education sector, with some saying that the sector is on the brink of collapse.

In their statement on November 14, KCCB members warned about the growing “culture of lies” in the country, with many unfulfilled promises from President Ruto’s government.

Decrying “misplaced priorities” in the President Ruto-led government, KCCB members highlighted a series of issues they said had remained unaddressed despite calls for the government to act. 

In his address at the TU November 15 inaugural graduation ceremony, President Ruto maintained that his government was committed to enhancing inclusion and equality in university education across the nation.

“This is why we are implementing radical reforms,” he said, adding that the aim of the reforms was to “ensure that no eligible citizen is left behind in our provision for higher education.” 

“The introduction of student-centered funding models are vital steps to guarantee that every qualified learner can access the degree or diploma of their choice,” he said. 

Meanwhile, the Kenyan President has called for critics of his government to be “factual”.

“Even as we engage in public discourse on matters that are important to the people of Kenya, we must be careful to be factual and lest we become victims of the things we accuse others of doing,” President Ruto said in his address at the TU inaugural graduation on November 15.

Agnes Aineah is a Kenyan journalist with a background in digital and newspaper reporting. She holds a Master of Arts in Digital Journalism from the Aga Khan University, Graduate School of Media and Communications and a Bachelor's Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communications from Kenya's Moi University. Agnes currently serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.