Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu has said only 60 per cent of learners set to join colleges and universities for the 2023-24 academic year have successfully applied for government funding.
The learners are set to get funding through scholarships and loans once they make their application through the Higher Education Fund website.
However, Machogu on Wednesday said the ministry is impressed at the rising number of students applying for loans and scholarships under the new funding model.
"As of September 5, 2023, a total of 156,532 students had applied for both Universities Fund scholarships and Higher Education Loans Board loans," Machogu said.
"This translates to 60 per cent of the students placed by the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) based on the 2022 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education Examination."
Machogu noted that 40 per cent of the potential total applicants of 265,000 students have yet to apply for the scholarships and loans since the ministry launched the exercise on July 31 this year.
He said the ministry is determined to ensure a 100 per cent transition into higher institutions of learning for those who were placed by KUCCPS.
The CS also said the ministry has extended the funding application deadline from September 7 to October 7.
"The application period for loans and scholarships that was initially scheduled to lapse on September 7, 2023, has now been extended to October 7, 2023," Machogu said.
He said out of the KCSE graduates placed by KUCCPS, only students categorised as vulnerable and extremely needy will get 100 per cent Government funding through Scholarships and Loans.
The rest will get 93 per cent funding of their total fees.
Machogu said the categorisation will be realised through a reliable scientific method (Means Testing Instrument - MTI), used to determine the student's level of financial need, to ensure each of them is supported adequately.
"I urge all the eligible students to make formal applications for scholarships and loans through the Higher Education Financing portal (www.hef.co.ke)."