How KRA, NHIF data will determine student placement in new university funding model

Speaking on Wednesday during Citizen TV’s The Big Conversation Show, Monari clarified that the Kenya Kwanza administration had put in place different validators such as the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and the NHIF to ascertain the monetary income of families.

He said that the information obtained regarding the filing of returns or paying medical cover will help the government establish the income levels of a family before identifying a student as either vulnerable, extremely needy, needy or less needy.

“Factors will be taken through validators to see whether the information given is correct- the validators may be for example if you are paying Ksh.1700 for NHIF it means you are at a certain income bracket or if we go to KRA and look at your returns, it means you are at a certain income bracket…those are some of the validators we are looking and we are not categorizing anyone until we receive the applications,” Monari explained.

Monari exuded confidence in the new form of university funding which has been met with mixed reactions, saying the system of application set up by the Ministry has the capacity to establish whether a student is genuine in the information they submit to the system.

He says a student will be inquired about their family background in education, marital status, and whether they fall under marginalized communities or persons with disabilities among other welfare questions.

“We shall categorize the students after receiving the applications. Once we receive the applications, we shall access them; we have asked questions; what is your family background, marginalized, PWD, orphans, size, marital background of parents, family expenditure on education,” he said.

Monari reassured of the government’s commitment to ensure every student placed by the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) gets the funding saying the Ministry had received enough allocations in the 2023/2024 budget.

According to Monari, Kenyans should not be worried about the deadline for placement which is on the 28th of this month since KUCCPS would ensure every candidate is placed and gets funding.

“In the budget for this year, HELB funding was increased to Ksh.30 billion the scholarship amount allocated for the first years is Ksh.15.9 billion,” he said.

“The portal was opened by CS last week and there was overcrowding …As of today, we have received 2083 applications and student are still getting their admission letters. This process will take some time but I can assure Kenyans that we will ensure all the students who have been placed by KUCCPS and who applied, about 140,000 will not be left out.”

Monari consequently dismissed claims by education stakeholders that the new model is expensive to parents reiterating that ordinary university courses will go for Ksh.8500 per year while programmes such as medicine go for a maximum of Ksh.42,800.

He defended the model saying there was enough public participation that endorsed the model following months of consultation by the committee formed by President William Ruto. 

“Before developing this model, the presidential working party went across the 47 counties, asked for views of all Kenyans so that they could develop the model,” he said.

“What we need to look at is the programme we are undertaking because the fees have already been declared. For planning, if you are admitted for BA, look for Ksh.8500 plan for that, but if you are vulnerable, you will not pay any of that money."