Stop giving bursaries to PhD, Masters students, experts tell MPs

The NG-CDF should be used to build infrastructure for basic education and for development projects in the constituencies instead of funding bursaries for postgraduate students in local and foreign universities.

The aforementioned statement is according to a panel of education experts.

The experts say they are ashamed to see Ph.D. and Masters students walking into universities and colleges flashing cheques from the National Government-Constituency Development Fund.

“It's unfair for someone studying for a Master’s degree to get CDF funding; it’s immoral," Maliba Arnold Nyajayi, the Strategic Communication adviser in the office of UDA Secretary General offices said.

He said although CDF has done well in funding infrastructure in primary and secondary schools, more money should be allocated to the sector.

“CDF was the pilot project for the devolved government era. But it is not a bursary because of the way it is structured.  Sometimes all students in a school get a flat rate of Sh500 to Sh5,000 each, which might not help all the needy students,” he said.

According to Dr Vincent Gaitho, Kenya's National Association of Private Universities secretary general, the NG-CDF kitty is important to very many students across the country. 

“Poverty in Kenya is on the rise due to global climate change, which is marginalising more families and the depreciation of Kenya shilling. Any money for the education sector is welcome. Thousands of students benefit from CDF bursaries” he said.

MPs claim the CDF disbursement from the Treasury has now been delayed by more than seven months.

Dr Gaitho, who is also the chairman of the university council at Mount Kenya University (MKU), called on MPs to focus on investing CDF in specific development projects in their local areas. “

"Each constituency is unique. Area MPs should have projects that will put money in the pockets of their constituents. For instance, our farmers have too much waste after every harvest - milk, maize, vegetables. The mangoes season is coming and local markets will soon be flooded with mangoes. We need to reduce this waste,” he said.

Dr Gaitho recommended that a bill be introduced in Parliament to authorise bursary funds to become revolving funds.

“Those who benefit from bursaries should pay back. Let’s make it sustainable through a revolving fund since we are developing human capital that eventually should become useful to the country,” he added.

The experts agreed that though education gets the lion’s share of the national budget, most of it goes to pay salaries and other recurrent expenditures.

Philip Pande, a Youth Inclusion adviser, said the Ministry of Education is one of the largest funded ministries in Kenya since independence.

“It is time to emphasize TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) as opposed to herding all students into various universities.   The African Development Bank (ADB) says they are supporting TVET to ensure that the average student does not miss out on technical training,” he said.

At the same time, the experts agreed that there is still a missing link between local universities and job absorption, resulting in a brain drain abroad. 

Dr Gaitho said the Kenyan economy has been shrinking, so students are seeking jobs below their qualifications because the economy is thin. 

 “There is a lack of innovation; we are an importing country. Containers come in full of imported goods but are being shipped out empty. Those with resources and money are only thinking about putting up housing development projects, many of which are less than 50 per cent occupied,” he said. 

Dr Gaitho once again called for increased collaboration between universities and industries to close the gap between the skills of fresh college students and the skills being demanded by industry.

 “Universities prepare students for international markets.  Those who have qualified for university but opt to attend TVET institutions should be encouraged,” he added.