‘We’re being priced out of education’: TVET students cry foul over sudden fee hikes

Technical training students during a skills competition in Nakuru in June 2024. Students in TVET colleges have decried a sharp rise in fees. (Photo: TVET Authority Kenya)

By Lucy Mumbi
Sunday, June 22, 2025

Student leaders expressed concern that the tuition fee hikes are already disrupting learning and pushing thousands of students to the brink of dropping out.

Students in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) colleges are raising the alarm over sharp fee hikes, warning that the increased costs could force many of them to drop out due to financial hardship.

The students, under the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Students’ Association of Kenya (TVETSA), say fees have been hiked by nearly 20 per cent in some colleges, a move they say is unbearable amidst rising living costs.

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The student leaders raised concerns over the impact of the tuition fee increase, saying it is already disrupting learning and pushing thousands of students to the edge.

According to TVETSA President Peter Kutosi, many learners are struggling to stay in school as they can no longer afford the increased costs, and the changes were introduced without prior notice or proper communication.

“These changes, introduced without sufficient notice or engagement, have caused worry, especially for students who come from families already facing economic strain,” Kutosi told journalists on Saturday in Nairobi.

“Students have not registered for exams because of school fees, and parents are already strained owing to the high cost of living.”

The fee hikes have sparked student unrest in several institutions. Most notably, Meru National Polytechnic was shut down indefinitely earlier this week following a two-day protest. Students barricaded roads and disrupted nearby businesses as they demanded a reversal of the increased charges.

At Meru, fees rose from Sh56,420 to Sh67,189 annually, an increase of over Sh10,000. Principal Mutembei Kigige defended the adjustment, saying it was necessitated by the rollout of the Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET) curriculum.

Delayed HELB funds

Alongside the fee issue, students also faulted the government for delays in disbursing Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) funds and capitation, saying these delays have further derailed their academic progress.

They also pointed to a growing disconnect between student leaders, college administrators, and policymakers in the Ministry of Education, saying multiple attempts to raise the concerns had not been acknowledged.

“We are lagging because we are not involved in the affairs of our institutions,” TVETSA Secretary-General Carlos Mogire said.

“We want to tell the Ministry of Education to tackle these issues. Failure to which we will have to call for peaceful demonstrations to push them into action.”

To resolve the crisis, the students are demanding the development of a standardised and affordable fee structure across all TVET institutions. They also called for the prompt release of capitation and HELB funds to align with the academic calendar.

“We ask TVET authorities to enhance student representation in national forums that impact education policy, especially concerning welfare and funding, and the administrators to conduct regular dialogue forums with student leaders to promote collaboration and early problem-solving,” Kutosi said.