Chief Justice Martha Koome has proposed free higher education in a bid to resolve bursary overlaps and unjust classification of students under the new funding scheme.
Speaking in Nairobi on Thursday, Koome proposed the consolidation of all bursary funds at the national and sub-national level to mobilise required resources for free tertiary education.
She noted that the proposed funding model which places students in different funding categories based on a socio-economic assement of a family risked disenfranchising students.
“A child who has qualified for the University, can be there crying saying, I have been put in Band V when I ought to be in Band I therefore I cannot afford to go to the university,” she observed.
“When you follow you [could] find the family of a well to do peroson has been put in Band I,” the CJ noted.
Koome proposed instead the consolidation of bursaries administered by Governors, Members of Parlaiment and Members of County Assembly to enhance funding for tertiary institutions.
“Why don’t you put them (bursaries) together and make education free for all?” Koome suggested.
Her remarks came a after the National Assembly convened a crisis forum to addrress emer ging concerns over the new university funding model.
Lawmarkers proposed an amalgamation and consolidation of all funds and bursaries supporting needy students to arrest an apparrent funding crisis in higher learning institutions.
The proposed reforms seek to consolidate the Higher Education and Loans Board (HELB) and all funds including scholarships and bursaries issued by Governors and legislators, both national and sub-national.
Legislators cited what they termed as an ineffective Means Testing Instrument (MTI) used to classify students in different funding categories emerged with critics citing data inaccuracies and inadequate grading parameters.
Funding model expalined
The funding model places students in five bands using eight variables, including parents’ background, gender, course type, marginalization, disability, family size, and composition.
The model combines the variables to determine household needs and appropriate funding. However, parents and learners have decryied miscategorization with a majority placed in Band IV and Band V.
Governoment Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura has been leading a government camaping in defense of the newly introduced formula terming in an equaliser.
In a briefing on August 18, Mwaura noted that Band I students get 70 per cent sponsorship by the government and up to 25 per cent in student loans with parents and guardians meeting the 5 per cent gap.
Under Band II, government extends 60 per cent in scholarship and 30 per cent in loans, with parents required to meet 10 per cent in tuition costs.
Band III students will have 50 per cent scholarship and up to 30 per cent in loans with parents required to raise 20 per cent.
Under Band IV, government will injentct 40 per cent in schorlaship with students accessing 30 per cent in loans while in Band V, government will pump 30 per cent in scholrship with studenst accessing 30 per cent in loans.
Parents support Band V students will pay 40 per cent of required fees.
“The government has grouped families whose income does not exceed Sh120,000 but is above Sh70,000. In this group, the government scholarship will cover 40 percent while the loan will cover 30 percent. The family will pay 30 percent of the fees,” Mwaura noted.