Varsity funding model to be modified before full implementation – CS Ogamba

The national government will make improvements in the new university funding model before it is fully implemented, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has said.

The new funding model has caused uproar among parents and students as they complain that some are given wrong banding.

Some parents petitioned the court to have the funding model scrapped.

The High Court stopped implementation before the Court of Appeal gave the government the green light to continue implementing the funding model.

On Thursday, CS Ogamba assured Kenyans that the government will modify the funding model in line with recommendations made by the National Committee on the Review of the Model.

“The court has pronounced itself on the implementation of the new funding model. I say that the government will implement the funding model with modification in accordance with the suggested changes,” Ogamba said.

Speaking during Homa Bay County Education Day at Homa Bay High School,  the CS said the government will comply with the Court of Appeal's decision to publish the framework of the modified funding model in 14 days to put the current and future university students in the picture.

He said the funding model was established to curb financial crises which marred the sustainability of university education in Kenya.

Together with Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga, Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development CEO Charles Ong’ondo, Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma and his Karachuonyo counterpart Adipo Okuome, Ogambe urged Kenyans to support the model.

“The model was started to end the financial problems which affected disadvantaged students in universities. Let Kenyans support the model,” the CS said.

He said the government had spent Sh41 billion to support the education of 240,000 students in universities.

The government has also put the necessary arrangements for transition from Junior to senior secondary schools under Competency Based Curriculum (CBC).

This includes putting in place adequate infrastructure to ensure that students do not miss learning facilities.

“The Ministry of Education has employed more than 76,000 teachers and through collaboration with the NG-CDF, we have put proper infrastructure for learners in junior secondary schools. There will be seamless transition from Junior to senior secondary schools,” Ogamba said.

The Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) has prepared the curriculum design for senior secondary schools.

Ong’ondo said they are distributing the curriculum design from June this year.

“KICD is dispatching the curriculum design through the ministry of education officials in the next two months,” Ong’ondo said.

He said they are going to begin evaluating textbooks for senior secondary schools starting next month.

Ong’ondo said distribution of the books will also begin in June to all public secondary schools.

“All school heads will receive books in a month after commencement of the distribution. Schools should receive textbooks in time,” Ong’ondo said.

Wanga urged stakeholders to work together in supporting education.

“My administration is also supporting education through giving bursaries. Homa Bay government has constructed an additional 240 ECDE classrooms from the two that we found in 2022,” Wanga said.