Private universities support student funding formula shift

Private universities expect to reap from a policy shift by the government to drop the current funding formula where all students who score C+ and above get state sponsorship to universities, irrespective of the income of their families, writes John Mutua for Business Daily.

Simon Gicharu, chair of the National Association of Private Universities in Kenya, says the shift to only fund needy students will create an equal playing field for private and public universities to compete for the learners based on facilities and fee rates.

Plans are underway for the government to change the funding formula for university students to only fund learners who qualify but are not able to pay their fees, in a bid to ease pressure on the Exchequer. “We support the policy. The Treasury should only fund students who cannot afford to pay, and that is why based on fees, rates and facilities, we stand an equal chance of getting students who can pay for themselves,” said Gicharu.
Full report on the Business Daily site