KUCCPS-Govt to Offer Both Loans and Scholarships to TVET Students

By | May 9, 2023

The government of Kenya has recently introduced a new higher education funding model, but questions linger over how it will determine who gets what funding and how educational institutions will determine the cost of education.

Dr Agnes Wahome reveals that scholarships will be given to students who choose to study at public universities.

Additionally, students enrolled in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) under the Ministry of Education will have access to both loans and government scholarships.

“We will provide scholarships to students who choose public universities, and students enrolled in TVETs under the Ministry of Education will have access to both loans and government scholarships. If you decide to take a TVET course at a university, you finance yourself.

According to the CEO of Universities Fund, Geoffrey Monari, the new funding model is flexible, allowing students to take out loans that suit their individual financial situations.

Instead of taking a loan of KES 100,000 per year, for example, a student can take a loan of KES 50,000 and pay the rest if they have the means to do so.

This approach aims to make higher education more accessible and affordable to all students, regardless of their financial background.

He also highlighted the plight of lecturers who retire into poverty due to their pensions not being submitted over the years. This situation could lead to demotivated lecturers who may not be able to provide quality education to their students.

“We don’t expect lecturers to give quality education if they are not being paid; we have lecturers who retire into poverty because their pension has not been submitted over the years.”