The University of Nairobi says it has increased tuition and accommodation fees to be able to improve services.
It said yesterday the decision was made in the best interest of its students. This followed pleas by parents enrolling their children for the September intake that it reduce the fees.
Hostel fee was increased sevenfold, from the initial Sh6,000 per year to Sh40,000 per year, while tuition fee was increased from Sh28,000 per academic year to almost Sh59,000 per semester.
“The reason for increased accommodation fees is that we want to enhance and improve accommodation services,” John Orindi, UoN public relations manager, said.
“We need to pay for water, electricity, cleaners, security, insurance of those buildings and deal with maintenance and damages caused in those rooms. The cost of Sh30 per day cannot fulfill all that, so we had to increase hostel fees. We want to give them the best.”
Ruth Atieno, who took her son for admission on Monday, could not come to terms with the huge amount she was asked to pay for his accommodation.
“As a parent, I feel sick and disturbed because of what I have seen when taking my son to the hostel, the school should consider reducing that amount, or at least they should have made these changes gradually,” Atieno told the Star.
She further asked the management to improve the state of the hostels even as they increase accommodation fees.
"I wish these places were in a better state, that's all I can say for now."
The fee structure indicates that students should pay for a full academic year and not a single semester.
Benjamin Michuki, who also took his daughter for enrolment on Monday, expressed his disappointment and asked the management to consider reducing the fees, citing tough economic times.
“We have been told that if you don’t have the money being asked, you should go back and come next year. Even if I go home I don't know where to get all that money,” he said.
Michuki also noted that they were required to clear all fee arrears before admission.
“We just realised that these people have changed everything, I did not expect to pay such a huge amount of money,” he said.
The initial fee structure he had indicated that students would pay Sh6,000 per year for accommodation.
Michuki was asked to deposit Sh40,000 hostel fees for his daughter on Monday. The hostels were charged at Sh30, Sh28, and Sh26 per day for a whole semester, but the revised fee structure directs students to pay Sh175 daily for a single room and Sh144 for a room shared by two.
UoN student leaders expressed their dissatisfaction with the recent move by the administration to increase tuition and accommodation fees.
University of Nairobi Students Association secretary-general Nathan Kikwai asked the administration to use the Sh58,000 paid by first-years for two academic years and not a semester.