- Student leaders have demanded inclusion in the design of the government’s proposed new university funding model.
- The leaders have criticised delays in capitation fund disbursement, saying universities have accumulated billions in debt.
- The forum has also turned attention to graduate unemployment, with calls for accelerated industrialisation to absorb job seekers.
Student leaders from various universities have called on the government to involve learners in developing the proposed new higher education funding model, arguing that past reforms have largely failed because the beneficiaries were excluded from the decision-making process.
The appeal comes just days after President William Ruto announced that the government was working on a plan to make tertiary education fully free, raising expectations among students over how the new financing framework will be structured and implemented.
Speaking during a youth leadership forum in Thika, leaders from Kenyatta University, Mount Kenya University and Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) said student participation would be critical in designing a transparent, fair and sustainable funding model capable of addressing the challenges that have plagued previous systems.
Students Demand a Seat at the Table
The leaders, among them Kenyatta University Students Association President Samuel Thuku and University of Nairobi student leader Wazi Maina, maintained that meaningful consultation would enhance public confidence in the reforms and increase the chances of successful implementation.
“The government should cease placing students in diverse bands based on their parents’ status. You find that many parents with about two to three children in higher learning institutions are struggling to raise fees. This is why we want to be included in the policy-making process and the entire process of the new funding model,” Thuku said.
ALSO READ:
Senate demands answers from TSC over staffing, promotions and teacher welfare in Samburu County
Capitation Delays Deepen University Debt
The student leaders took issue with the government over the delayed release of capitation funds to institutions of higher learning, noting that many universities are grappling with debts amounting to billions of shillings.
“Instead of complicating higher education further and jeopardising education for many students in the country, let the government first deal with the issue of capitation and release the funds to all requisite universities,” Ms Maina said.
The forum also shifted focus to the country’s growing youth unemployment crisis, with Kiambu gubernatorial hopeful John Mwaura urging the government to accelerate industrialisation as a long-term solution to graduate unemployment.
Mwaura called for policies that promote investment and expand Kenya’s manufacturing sector, saying the economy must create more opportunities to absorb the thousands of graduates entering the labour market every year.
“We must prioritise industrialisation as a nation because it is the surest way of creating job opportunities for thousands of skilled youths that our institutions of higher learning churn out every year,” Mwaura said.
He advocated for lower taxes, incentives and subsidies for both local and foreign investors, alongside business-friendly policies aimed at attracting more manufacturing firms into the country.
ALSO READ:
Ruto wants education at heart of Kenya’s post-Vision 2030 development plan
Industrialisation Eyed as Jobs Solution
The student leaders supported the proposal, saying increased industrial investment would not only create employment opportunities for young people but also help tackle rising poverty, crime and mental health challenges linked to prolonged unemployment.
“You find that it’s only 10 per cent of graduates who secure employment upon graduation. What happens to the 90 per cent? The government must be so deliberate on industrialisation to create jobs for the youths,” Thuku said.
Their appeal comes as Kenya continues to grapple with a widening gap between the number of graduates produced annually and available employment opportunities.
The country produces an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 university graduates every year from public and private institutions, with total university enrolment exceeding 628,000 students.
While Kenya’s official unemployment rate stands at about 5.45 per cent, youth unemployment and underemployment remain significantly higher, leaving many graduates unable to secure jobs that match their qualifications.
By John Kamau
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
>>> Click here to read more informed opinions on the country’s education landscape
>>> Click here to stay ahead with the latest national news.
