President William Ruto has declared that the fees outlined in letters issued by universities to students were misleading. Speaking in Ogembo, Kisii County, Ruto clarified that the amounts listed represented the total cost of completing an entire course, not the fees for a single term or year.
Directive to Issue Corrected Letters
Ruto announced that the government will instruct universities to retract the misleading letters and issue corrected ones to parents. This directive is expected to be implemented by the end of the day. “The letters issued by our universities were misleading because they were talking about the cost of courses. We want those letters that were released earlier to be withdrawn and proper letters issued regarding the amount of money a parent is supposed to pay,” Ruto explained.
Increased Funding for Higher Education
The President also highlighted a significant change in the funding model for higher education. He revealed that the allocation for university funding has been increased from Sh45 billion to Sh82 billion. “We have changed the delivery model and increased the money available for funding higher education,” Ruto stated.
Assurance to Parents
Ruto assured parents that the government is committed to ensuring all Kenyan children have access to higher education regardless of their family’s financial situation. He emphasized that no child should be excluded from higher education due to financial constraints.
Recent Developments in University Fees
In July, Higher Education and Research PS Beatrice Inyangala had nullified the fees previously communicated to first-year students by KUCCPS. She announced that a new fee structure would be introduced starting August 19, effectively nullifying the earlier communicated costs. This decision affects approximately 153,292 students who are set to join universities.
