Relief for University Students Denied Loans Under New Funding Model
Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu’s Assurance
Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu has reassured students who encountered difficulties when applying for scholarships and loans through the new university funding model. He expressed confidence that his ministry is actively working to resolve the issue within the next few days.
Challenges Addressed in the National Assembly
Machogu addressed the National Assembly, where he explained that the challenges students faced were primarily due to problems with invalidated National Identification Cards and the Integrated Personnel Registration System (IPRS).
Access Problems for Certain Students
A significant number of students, particularly those with newly acquired IDs and IPRS, found themselves locked out of the university fund portal. This unfortunate situation barred them from accessing the funds they needed.
Efforts to Resolve System Issues
In a bid to address the delays caused by these system hitches, Machogu revealed that he is collaborating with his counterpart in the Interior Ministry, Kithure Kindiki.
Their aim is to seamlessly integrate the newly acquired IDs and IPRS numbers into the university system. As a result, students who were previously locked out will soon be required to reapply for funding opportunities. This entire process is expected to be completed within a week.
Continued Precarious Situation for Students
Despite Machogu’s interventions, the affected students remain in a precarious position. This is because the application window, which was initially opened on July 31, is rapidly approaching its closing date on September 7. Reports indicate that the Ministry of Education has yet to achieve the desired outcomes in this regard.
Application Process Challenges
Machogu also highlighted that the current Integrated Personnel Registration System can only validate the old National Identity Card Numbers of applicants, parents, and guarantors. This limitation has led to significant delays and even system downtimes during the application process.
Collaborative Efforts and Online Portal
Furthermore, Machogu emphasized the collaborative efforts undertaken by various bodies, including the Higher Education Loans Board, Universities Fund, Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service, and the State Department for Technical, Vocational Education and Training.
Together, they developed a centralized online portal aimed at streamlining the registration and application process for scholarships, loans, and bursaries among tertiary education students.
Concerns Raised by MPs
However, even with Machogu’s interventions, concerns have been raised by Members of Parliament (MPs). They noted that these interventions were implemented rather late in the timeline, coinciding with many universities commencing their academic terms. This has understandably caused worries about students having to report for their studies without having secured sufficient financial arrangements.
Introduction of the New Funding Model
On a broader scale, the New Higher Education Funding Model was introduced by President William Ruto on May 3 at State House, Nairobi. This innovative model aims to provide a needs-based and student-centered funding approach. It categorizes students into four distinct groups based on their household income.
Vulnerable students will receive comprehensive scholarships, those in need will be granted partial scholarships, and students with lesser financial needs will have access to long-term loans.
Relief for University Students Denied Loans Under New Funding Model
