State sets up committees to review varsity funding model as student leaders call off strike

The Ministry of Education has established two time-bound committees to evaluate the implementation of the new higher education funding model and propose recommendations for its improvement.

This comes in response to student leaders from various universities planning a nationwide strike to protest the controversial funding model.

In a statement on Sunday, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba revealed that the committee will consist of student leaders, experts, and key stakeholders. He added that the specific terms of reference for the committees would be published within the week, following input from student leadership.

According to Ogamba, the Committee will address the appraisal of the implementation of the New Funding Model for Higher Education, and evaluation of the effectiveness of the Means Testing Instrument in ensuring that the categorisation of students captures their socio-economic realities.

The committee will also assess the efficacy of the appeals mechanism in achieving correct student categorization for funding and analyse the cost of programmes in the universities.

Additionally, it will also review the structure of student loans, the attendant interest rates and the period of payment.

"For greater efficiency and to achieve meaningful student participation and involvement, the Ministry is constituting two time-bound Working Committees that will draw membership from the student leadership, in addition to experts and other relevant stakeholders," Ogamba said.

Dialogue

Following these developments, student leaders have called off the planned demonstrations scheduled for Monday, September 9, 2024, to engage in dialogue with the government.

University students call of their planned protest scheduled for Monday over the government's new funding model, issuing a one-month ultimatum for their concerns to be addressed. pic.twitter.com/MYLp6AOCiN

— The Eastleigh Voice (@Eastleighvoice) September 8, 2024

"Having checked at the reported infiltration of goons in the planned protest on September 9, that is tomorrow, we have considered, for the safety and security of our comrades that street demonstration is not the best route now unless we have no other option left. We see light at the end of the tunnel, and it is in this interest that we would like to give one more chance of a bilateral engagement from both the Ministry of Education, stakeholders and all affected parties and individuals in the new funding model," the leaders said.

"We would like to join hands with our student leaders who addressed the media yesterday, in calling off tomorrow's demonstration from an insecurity perspective, because we understand, it is a democratic right, the comrades needed, and we all need it, but we have to stay safe."

The leaders also praised the government's decision to form an inclusive committee with student union representation to review ongoing appeals and evaluate the funding model.

"It is important to emphasise that, however much we have goodwill, the implementation of the new funding model has been not achievable because of a lack of specific data by the government on household capacity. We urge that this goodwill is expedited so that short-term remedies can be considered, while a commitment is put for the long-term solution to this problem," they said.

The student leaders have now issued the government a 30-day notice to address their concerns, including the abolition of Bands 4 and 5, arguing that reducing the number of bands would better reflect the country’s socioeconomic realities.