All Universities to Receive Scholarships Not Grants
President William Ruto has unveiled a significant shift in his administration’s approach to higher education funding. Going forward, university funding will transition from grants to scholarships, with a primary focus on providing full scholarships to students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
This announcement was made during the United Democratic Alliance party National Governing Council meeting at Bomas of Kenya, where Ruto emphasized the objective of ensuring that students from underprivileged backgrounds receive full scholarships.
He highlighted that in the current year alone, a minimum of 45,000 university students will benefit, with some receiving 100 percent scholarships while others will receive 90 percent and 80 percent scholarships.
President Ruto expressed his administration’s unwavering commitment to creating sustainable education in the country and addressing persistent issues within the education sector. He emphasized the need to rectify the situation where many children from impoverished backgrounds lack opportunities to attend TVETs or universities and advocated for equitable and accessible education.
Earlier in July, the government introduced the New Higher Education Funding model, which incorporates scholarships and loans for students placed by the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service. This initiative, initiated by President Ruto’s directive on May 3, 2023, aims to overhaul the higher education student funding model by aligning placement, government scholarships, and loans with students’ needs and program costs.
All students admitted to universities and TVET institutions through the KUCCPS placement will be eligible for funding. The allocation of funding will be determined by four criteria: program selection, household income, performance, and government priority areas.
To scientifically assess students’ needs, a Means Testing Instrument will consider eight variables, including parents’ background, gender, course type, marginalization, disability, family size, and composition.
For students entering TVETs, the government will provide scholarships covering up to 50 percent of the costs and loans covering up to 30 percent, with households responsible for the remaining 20 percent of the expenses. This comprehensive approach aims to make higher education more accessible and equitable for students across Kenya.
All Universities to Receive Scholarships Not Grants
