• So far, only 75,272 students out of 285,167 have successfully applied for scholarships and funds.
• The 2022 KCSE exam students who have been placed in various institutions of higher learning across the country will be expected to join starting Monday.
Image: EZEKIEL AMING'A
Students joining universities next week will be admitted with or without school fees, Education CS Ezekiel Machogu has said.
He directed that no student should be sent home on the reporting date for lack of school fees.
The 2022 KCSE exam students who have been placed in various institutions of higher learning across the country will be expected to join starting Monday, August 28.
The National Assembly Education Committee on Thursday demanded an assurance from the CS that all students will be admitted to the institutions, since parents have raised concerns over the high school fees.
Most parents have said they are facing challenges raising school fees.
“They will be admitted as we are processing the disbursement of funds for first years in all public universities. We are giving universities the funds such that they will not say that we are admitting first years while we don’t have funds,” Machogu said.
The CS said they issue a circular to the institutions to inform them to absorb students who have not completed application for funds.
So far, only 75,272 students out of 285,167 have successfully applied for scholarships and funds. This represents only 30 per cent.
Universities Fund CEO Geoffrey Monari said there has been an upsurge in the portal since most students are trying to apply.
He said they will deal with the challenges to allow every student to apply.
“We have been given an assurance that by next week the systems will be working perfectly well. We shall not cut off any student,” Monari said.
“We shall allow all the students who are eligible to apply so that we can support them.”
Higher Education Loans Board CEO Charles Ringera said they have centres across the country to assist students facing challenges during applications.
“We have elaborate capacities in 54 huduma centres where those students can be served. Furthermore, all the admitted colleges and universities have put up cyber cafes where prospective students can apply,” Ringera said.
Monari said students eligible for scholarships and loans will be required to apply every year.
“All the students will be required to apply every year. This is very important because you find there are students who passed away or changed status. So, it is important for us to know if these students are still in the universities,” Monari said.
CS Machogu also revealed that about 1,000 students without identity cards will get government scholarships but they will not be eligible for loans.
“Those without IDs will get scholarships but not loans. They will be entering into a contractual agreement with Helb and that cannot be done without an ID. But immediately they attain the required age, they will be able to get the loan,” Machogu said.
In the 2023-24 financial year, the government has allocated Sh39.4 billion towards the new funding model.
To support the model, Machogu said the government has increased resources by Sh12.5 billion.
He said, however, there is a funding gap of Sh18.6 billion, which will be provided during Supplementary 1 for 2023-24.