Fix teething issues in varsity funding model
The entry to Dedan Kimathi University in Nyeri County. To determine the need level of a student, the Universities Fund and Helb will use the means testing instrument.
There are some public sectors that now seem to be running in perpetual confusion. Those seeking government documents can testify that it is fast becoming a very tedious, time-consuming and frustrating endeavor.
This is in spite of the fact that Huduma centres were opened all over the country to bring services closer to the people. The online services are usually down.
Nevertheless, amidst all this gloom, none is much more confusing than what goes on in the education sector.
The Competency-Based Curriculum system is nominally in place while in reality, we are still waiting for the implementation of the workforce report on education. Our cart is evidently before the horse and it has pretty square wheels.
The universities are all broke and drastic action must be taken to bail them out. The scariest part of it is that financing of university and college education is what shall leave many of our youth disillusioned and scarred for life.
At a time when parents are finding it hard just to put food on the table, the fees required for higher education are way higher than they can afford. This means that the only chance for most students to pursue their dream careers is to get loans from the Higher Education Loans Board.
The State finds it a huge burden to carry and we are very sure there have been some shiny eyed ‘practical’ politicians and bureaucrats who feel that the government funding of students ought to be scrapped.
Their ‘pragmatic’ arguments may make short-term economic sense but such characters have no ability to see the future effects of such myopic reasoning. They must be condemned in the strongest way possible and not given space to sell their poisonous stance.
Funding tertiary education is the cardinal duty of the government and must be like an entrenched clause that should never be changed nor meddled with in any way.
Those 2000 students who have failed to secure Helb loans because they are underage must be helped in other ways to continue their quest for education.
Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu assured Parliament that those students would get the loans. While he was speaking in the House, the head of Helb reminded Kenyans that one cannot enter into contract with a minor.
The most annoying fact is that most of these students have already turned 18 and applied for Identity Cards, but the sleepy civil servants at the registrar of persons have not done their work.
Those young boys and girls must be helped now.
