President William Ruto has established a committee to review the controversial new university funding model, which has ignited discussions among students, parents, and education stakeholders.
In a notice published in the Kenya Gazette on Monday, Ruto announced the creation of the National Working Committee on the Review of the New University Education Funding Model.
The committee will consist of four sub-committees. One sub-committee will focus on refining the new funding model for universities and technical, vocational education, and training institutions (TVETs), while another will handle appeals related to the categorization of students into various eligibility bands.
The third sub-committee will evaluate the structure of student loans, and the fourth will assess the costs associated with university academic programs.
“The chairpersons and co-chairpersons of the workstreams (sub-committees) will form the Coordination Board of the Committee for the New University Education Funding Model. The board will include Japheth Micheni Ntiba as chairperson, along with the chairpersons and co-chairpersons of the four workstreams and lead joint secretaries from each of the workstreams,” Ruto stated.
The first sub-committee, chaired by Karuti Kanyinga and co-chaired by Dibora Zainab Hirbo, comprises 30 members. The second sub-committee, led by chair Walubengo Waningilo and co-chair Lucy Machugu, includes 25 members.
Robert Oduor Otieno will chair the sub-committee focusing on student loan structures, with Aron Kiprotich Bett as co-chair. This sub-committee consists of 18 members. The fourth workstream, chaired by Mohamed S. Rajab and co-chaired by Patrick Malanga, includes 31 members.
Each sub-committee also features two joint secretaries and a two-member secretariat. Ruto noted that the National Committee will serve for eight weeks from the date of establishment or for a longer period as specified in the Gazette.
