A recent meeting at State House failed to sway over 100 university student leaders into backing President William Ruto’s new higher education funding model, according to sources.
Reports suggest each participant was handed Sh25,000 as a “facilitation” fee amid mounting protests over how students are categorized for scholarships and loans in the revised system.
State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohammed confirmed the meeting occurred but denied knowledge of any payments being made.
The discussion seemingly fell short, with students claiming their concerns went unaddressed.
The five-hour meeting, held on August 21, gathered at least 100 student leaders from various universities.
It started at 4 pm and concluded around 9 pm.
In addition to President Ruto, key officials included Higher Education PS Beatrice Inyangala and Interior PS Raymond Omollo.
Few details emerged online, with only a handful of students sharing about the low-key event.
The gathering followed a previous one at the Kenya School of Government, which also ended abruptly.
Both meetings centered on the contentious funding model introduced under the Kenya Kwanza administration.
The meeting was so discreet that even vice-chancellors were unaware that their students had been summoned to State House.
Sources suggest that the attendees were carefully chosen.
Although discussions were open, none of the students present supported the funding model, according to those who spoke to Nation Africa.
Egerton University students Secretary General Justice Mutuma expressed dissatisfaction, criticizing the model for being overly burdensome, particularly for students in the Band 1 category, who despite receiving the most government aid, would still face significant debt upon graduation.
JKUAT students Secretary General Gitonga Gichangi echoed these sentiments, stating that the model felt rushed and poorly timed, given the current high cost of living.
He called for a phased implementation, rather than rolling out the system all at once, as it exacerbates financial challenges for students and their families.
The government’s new funding model segments students into bands based on family income.
PS Inyangala outlined that Band 1, which supports families earning up to Sh5,995 monthly, would receive the highest level of government aid.
In contrast, Band 5, covering families earning over Sh120,000 monthly, would get the least support.
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