The Kenyan government has clarified that the new funding model for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions, recently announced by President William Ruto, will not affect continuing students or the May intake.
According to Esther Muoria, the Principal Secretary for TVET, the new model, which is designed to provide more government funding for students from low-income families, will only take effect in the September intake.
The funds will be included in the 2023-2024 financial year budget. Current TVET students will continue to receive a capitation of KES 30,000 per student under the old funding model.
“The current students fall under the old funding model,” she explained.
The new model, which aims to increase access to education and training, will also affect university students in Kenya.
Under the new funding model, TVET students will pay an annual fee of KES 67,189, down from KES 71,420, and more government funding will be available for students from vulnerable, extremely needy, needy, and less needy backgrounds.
Students will need to apply to the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) and will be assessed to determine the amount of funding they are eligible for.
Muoria has asked TVET institutions to inform students enrolling during the May 2023 intake that the changes will not affect them.
“The Tvet institutions should sensitise trainees who will enrol during May 2023 intake that the changes will not affect them,” said Muoria.
Muoria has also pledged to push for the disbursement of the pending KES 4.7 billion capitations owed to TVET institutions. However, she has warned that the pending bills may increase to KES 5 billion soon.
During a conference for TVET principals and deputies in Mombasa, Muoria urged TVET principals not to resist the change, adding that the decision to adopt the new funding model was meant to ensure equity.
The conference was attended by John Tuwei, the Director of the TVET Authority, David Mwangi, the Chairman of the Kenya Association of Technical Training Institutions, Charles Ringera, the CEO of HELB, and Dr Mercy Wahome, the CEO of the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service.
Ringera said that HELB is considering funding TVET students to do artisan courses that take less than 12 months. Meanwhile, Wahome said that the new model has de-linked the placement of students in colleges and universities from funding and that while it is not perfect, it is a work in progress.