Ruto: Universities to Receive Scholarships Rather than Grants
President William Ruto has unveiled a 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.
During the United Democratic Alliance party National Governing Council meeting at Bomas of Kenya, President Ruto announced this change. He emphasized that in the current year, a minimum of 45,000 university students will receive 100 percent scholarships, while others will receive 90 percent and 80 percent scholarships.
President Ruto reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to establishing sustainable education in the country, addressing persistent issues within the education sector. He stressed the need to rectify the situation where many children from impoverished backgrounds lack opportunities to attend TVETs or universities, advocating for equitable and accessible education.
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, prompted by President Ruto’s directive in May 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.
Also Read: HELB Issues Reason Why Loan Disbursement Has Delayed
To assess students’ needs scientifically, 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, while households will be responsible for the remaining 20 percent of the expenses.
Ruto: Universities to Receive Scholarships Rather than Grants
