Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu has directed the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) and the Universities Fund (UF) to open the funding portal on June 15, 2024 to allow eligible students make their applications.
The CS said that the move is aimed at ensuring that the learners apply for the loans and scholarships based on the New Funding Model pioneered by President William Ruto on May 3, 2023 following a national wide consultations conducted by the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms.
“I direct the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) and the Universities Fund (UF) to open the Higher Education Funding portal on June 15, 2024 to allow the eligible students to apply for funding,” said Machogu.
He also asked the parents and guardians to review the results which will be out at the end of next month so that they can know their allocation of funds.
“I wish to notify all parents, guardians and students that results of the funding application process will be released from July 31, 2024. All first year students will report to their respective universities based on their admission letters and joining instructions as advised.
“Upon results of the funding applications being released, universities shall notify all their respective first year students of the amount to be paid by parents/guardians (household). Universities and funding agencies should immediately embark on sensitisation of students, parents and stakeholders on the Student-Centred Funding Model,” the CS said.
Machogu revealed that the first cohort of the new funding model which took effect on September last year was a success as the government achieved 100 per cent in supporting students to pursue their programme of choice in universities and TVETs in form of scholarships, and loans saying total of KSh24.76 billion was disbursed to scholarships and loans for universities students, while KSh11.3 billion went to TVET trainees from the total of 112,741 university students and 151,933 TVET learners who applied for scholarships and loans from the Universities Fund and HELB respectively.
READ ALSO:
Machogu, school heads disagree over KSh11 billion capitation for first term
“For the first time since the government adopted the cost sharing policy in higher education, 100 per cent of the KCSE 2023 examination applicants received financial support to pursue their programme of choice in our universities and TVET institutions,” he said.
He revealed that of the 153, 274 last year KCSE candidates who were placed by KUCCPS to various universities some universities have released letters of admission and fees structures for the courses as displayed by KUCCPS portal during the application period.
Under the student-centered funding model, the government revealed that the funding is in form of scholarships, loans, and parents/guardians contribution.
By Vostine Ratemo
You can also follow our social media pages on Twitter: Education News KE and Facebook: Education News Newspaper for timely updates.
>>> Click here to stay up-to-date with trending regional stories
