Author: Hezron Rooy

Student Leaders Reject Ruto’s University Model at State House: Cash and controversy A recent meeting at State House involving over 100 university student leaders failed to secure their endorsement of President William Ruto’s new higher education funding model. The session, which reportedly ended with attendees receiving a Sh25,000 “facilitation” fee, sparked further controversy, particularly over the classification of students for university scholarships and loans under the new system. However, State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohammed confirmed the meeting, but denied knowledge of any payments to attendees. Five-hour discussion The meeting, held on August 21, lasted five hours and involved student leaders…

Relief for Students as Court Rules on University Funding Fee Dispute Students facing difficulties paying full fees under the new funding model can now breathe easier after the High Court ruled that public universities cannot deny admission, learning, or access to facilities to those who have not fully paid their fees. Justice Bahati Mwamuye made this decision on Friday in response to a legal challenge by the Consumer Federation of Kenya (COFEK) and Elimika Mashinani Trust. The court issued a conservatory order, pending further hearings, prohibiting public universities and other tertiary institutions from refusing to admit or provide services to…

CS Ogamba Sets Urgent Three-Week Deadline to Resolve Student Funding Errors The Ministry of Education is currently facing a significant crisis with its new university funding model, as it works to resolve placement errors impacting nearly 13,000 students. The crisis stems from widespread misclassification and data inaccuracies that have disrupted the funding process. Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba announced on Friday, August 23, that 12,958 students had applied for re-categorization under the new model. The Ministry aims to complete this correction process within three weeks, while the application portal will stay open until December 31 to allow for continuous…

No Funds for Employing JSS Teacher on Permanent Terms, Says Treasury CS Mbadi Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has announced that the government lacks the financial capacity to employ Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers on permanent and pensionable terms. He emphasized that the government also cannot afford to hire an additional 20,000 JSS teachers, citing a struggle to raise funds for salary adjustments. During a Thursday interview with Citizen TV, Mbadi explained that the current budget shortfall makes it impossible for the government to address the concerns of JSS teachers. He highlighted that the year has been fraught with challenges,…

School Reopening: Parents Confused Over Looming Teachers Strike The upcoming teachers’ industrial strike, scheduled for August 26th, has left parents and teachers in a state of confusion, raising concerns about the impact on the school curriculum, particularly for Grade Six candidates. The strike is expected to disrupt preparations for exams, with fears that the absence of teachers will significantly hinder the students’ performance. In a recent meeting between the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and teachers’ unions, including KNUT and KUPPET, the discussions failed to resolve the ongoing dispute. Teachers have put forth several demands, including the promotion of 130,000 stagnant…

KNEC to Offer Special KCSE Exams for Women’s U-17 Team Players Eight students who are members of Kenya’s Under-17 Women’s national football team will take a special Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exam. This arrangement is to ensure their smooth participation in the upcoming FIFA Women’s Under-17 World Cup. The FIFA Women’s Under-17 World Cup is set to take place in the Dominican Republic in November. Unfortunately, this coincides with the KCSE exams, which are scheduled to begin on November 4 and conclude on November 22. Specifically, Kenya’s Group C matches are slated between October 18 and 24, with…

Parents Association Ask Teachers to End Planned Strike Parents are appealing to teachers to reconsider their planned strike scheduled just before the reopening of schools for the third term next week. National Parents Association, led by chairperson Silas Obuhatsa, emphasized that a strike would severely disrupt learning, especially with candidates preparing for their final exams. Obuhatsa expressed that teachers, being parents themselves, should empathize with the struggles students have faced due to recent floods and Gen Z demonstrations. He urged teacher unions to prioritize the students’ education over issues that could be addressed later. Parents are also urging the Teachers…

Consolidate Education Funding for Free University Education – CJ Koome Chief Justice Martha Koome has raised concerns about the new university education funding model, which categorizes students into five financial bands based on their family’s economic status. The model, she argues, places some students from underprivileged backgrounds into higher fee bands unjustly. On Wednesday, CJ Koome expressed her frustration, noting that the current system has led to inequities where students who cannot afford higher fees are wrongly classified. She mentioned her personal disillusionment with the media’s portrayal of societal inequalities, emphasizing the distress of a student who, despite qualifying for…

Over 43,000 Civil Servants to Retire as Government Tightens Budget Over the next five years, 43,946 civil servants in Kenya are set to retire as part of austerity measures initiated by President William Ruto following recent anti-government protests. Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura reported that the government’s June 2024 payroll estimates show that public officers aged 55 years and above will reach the mandatory retirement age between 2024 and 2029. The implementation of this directive is underway, with 39,361 civil servants expected to retire within this period. ”The payroll indicates that 43,976 officers are aged 55 years and above and are…

Why Students Are Missing Out on Scholarships Under the Revised Funding System – Felix Koskei Head of Public Service, Felix Koskei, highlighted a significant issue where numerous students miss out on scholarships and loans under the Higher Education Funding model due to providing incorrect information. He emphasized that if a student exaggerated their parents’ occupation, such as claiming one was a managing director, they would automatically be placed in Band 5. This band is designated for families with a monthly income exceeding Ksh.120,000. Koskei stressed the importance of accurate data entry to ensure students are placed in the correct financial…