Deadline for university funding extended; Sh23 billion distributed to students, reveals government.

The Ministry of Education in Kenya has announced a partial release of funds for university tuition and upkeep, amounting to Sh23.16 billion. This comes after five months without government funding that pushed universities to the brink of shutdown.

Under the new funding model, the Minister responsible for the allocation of grants to public universities has announced a tuition fee reduction of between 15 and 40 per cent on all university programs, affecting over 500,000 students. However, the Standard has established that the government has yet to release the full amount of loans and scholarships under this new model.

The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) has disbursed Sh19.06 billion, with Sh7.6 billion for tuition and Sh11.46 billion for upkeep. Students are advised to log into their Higher Education Funding portals to confirm the status of their allocations.

The Universities Fund Board has also disbursed Sh4.1 billion directly to public universities to support eligible students through scholarships. Yet, another Sh9 billion in scholarships is yet to be disbursed under the new funding model.

Despite these disbursements, many universities are still struggling. The sector has been strained by budget cuts and rising living costs and has recently experienced slashed university fees. The delayed funding has further strained the financial situation of public universities, adding to the Sh85 billion already owed to these institutions.

In an effort to alleviate some of the financial burden, the government has extended the application deadline for first-year students to apply for government funding to pay university fees to September 14.

However, the government has yet to remit Sh22 billion for student tuition fees meant for last year. Additionally, Sh13 billion in loans for students remains undisbursed.

The upkeep funds are being deposited directly into students' designated payment channels as they report for the new academic year. The government's release of these funds is a step towards addressing the financial challenges faced by university students and institutions, but the strain on universities continues.

Deadline for university funding extended; Sh23 billion distributed to students, reveals government.