How many degrees Will Cost Under Ruto’s New Funding Formula?
President William Ruto has introduced a new funding formula for universities and technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions in Kenya, which is set to increase the burden on households.
Despite previous assurances that fees would not be raised, calculations based on the cost of university programmes suggest that families will have to pay more. The President unveiled four categories under which students will be funded: vulnerable, extremely needy, needy and less needy.
The government will fully fund vulnerable and extremely needy students, but those in the needy and less needy categories are likely to have to take out larger loans from the Higher Education Loans Board (Helb) than they would have previously, as they will receive less in government scholarship.
Previously, all government-sponsored students were entitled to automatic funding of 80% of the unit cost, regardless of their family background. However, this has now been removed and funding will be based on the family’s economic status.
Students admitted to more expensive courses will pay more from the family kitty than those in less expensive programmes. For instance, a bachelor’s degree in dentistry will cost Sh720,000, while a bachelor of arts degree will cost Sh144,000.
The new funding formula has been criticised by some parents, who believe that the burden on households will be higher than before.
Charles Ringera, the CEO of the Higher Education Loans Board, has stated that a means-testing instrument will be used to determine the economic status of students and that household earnings will be verified by local leaders and by the Kenya Revenue Authority and the Registrar of Persons.
Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu has said that the government will fund all qualified students in public universities, but those attending private universities will not be eligible for government scholarships. They can, however, apply for Helb loans.
| Cluster | Subject area | Bachelor’s degree cost per year (Sh) | Needy | Less needy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| la | Medicine Pre-clinical | 360,000 | 190,800 | 144,000 |
| lb | Medicine Clinical | 720,000 | 381,600 | 288,000 |
| lla | Dentistry Pre-clinical | 360,000 | 190,800 | 144,000 |
| llb | Dentistry Clinical | 720,000 | 381,600 | 288,000 |
| Illa | Veterinary medicine Pre-clinical | 324,000 | 171,720 | 129,600 |
| IIIb | Veterinary medicine Clinical | 564,000 | 298,920 | 225,600 |
| IVa | Pharmacy Pre-clinical | 324,000 | 171,720 | 129,600 |
| IVb | Pharmacy Clinical | 504,000 | 267,120 | 201,600 |
| Va | Architectural Studies Part | 360,000 | 190,800 | 144,000 |
| Vb | Architectural Studies Professional (Part 2) | 432,000 | 228,960 | 172,800 |
| VI | Engineering, Surveying | 396,000 | 209,880 | 158,400 |
| VII | The Built Environment and Design | 360,000 | 190,800 | 144,000 |
| Construction | ||||
| Real Estate | ||||
| Urban And Regional Planning | ||||
| Landscape Architecture | ||||
| Design Computing | ||||
| VIII | Agriculture, Health Sciences, Food Sciences, Natural | 324,000 | 171,720 | 129,600 |
| Resource Management and the Natural Environment | ||||
| Agriculture | ||||
| Food Science & Technology | ||||
| Medical Laboratory Science & Technology | ||||
| Animal Science | ||||
| Nursing | ||||
| Clinical Medicine | ||||
| Radiography | ||||
| Agribusiness Management | ||||
| Sport Science | ||||
| Foods and Nutrition | ||||
| Medical Psychology | ||||
| Physical Therapy | ||||
| Public Health | ||||
| Environmental Health | ||||
| Community Health & Development | ||||
| Wildlife Science & Management | ||||
| IX | Applied Sciences & Education (Science & Technology) | 288,000 | 152,640 | 115,200 |
Overall, while the new funding formula aims to ensure that students from disadvantaged backgrounds receive more funding for their studies, it appears that households will bear a greater burden.
The means-testing instrument should ensure that funding is distributed fairly, but some parents may still be concerned about the level of support they will receive