Higher Education PS Beatrice Inyangala At Pains To Explain University Funding Model: "Ndegwa Help"

• The new university funding model has sparked debate, with Higher Education PS Beatrice Inyangala defending its focus on equity during a town hall meeting at JKUAT
• Inyangala explained that the previous system's uniform treatment of students regardless of economic background was flawed, and the new model aims to address this
• When questioned about the criteria for banding students, Inyangala struggled to provide detailed answers, noting that scientific methods were used but lacked specifics
• The PS eventually sought help from HELB Head of Lending, Kingori Ndegwa, to clarify the complex process, drawing laughter from the audience

Didacus Malowa, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

Nairobi - The government's new university funding model continues to stir debate as officials attempt to justify its complexities to students and guardians.

During a town hall discussion at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Higher Education Principal Secretary Beatrice Inyangala faced tough questions about the rationale behind the model's banding system.

The PS insisted that the model is rooted in equity, addressing the shortcomings of the previous system, which treated all students equally regardless of their economic backgrounds.

"The foundation is about equity. The Differentiated Unit Cost (DUC) was based on equality. Everybody was treated equally irrespective of their socio-economic status. This information has been lost among the public," Inyangala explained.

How did gov't arrive at factors to band students

However, when pressed on how the government determined the factors for banding students, Inyangala struggled to provide clear answers.

She mentioned that scientific methods were used, involving a random sample of people to establish the weights for the various bands.

But when asked about the specifics of this process, the PS hesitated and eventually sought assistance from HELB Head of Lending Kingori Ndegwa.

"We bring a random sample of people from different backgrounds together and we ask them how important do you think this factors is determining the socio-economic background of this family and this is a scientific method. So whatever weights were allocated to all the variables in question were determined by a random sample of Kenyans.

It is on the basis of that that a composite variable; It is not as simple as saying maybe you earn KSh 20,000 divided by nine children. We are looking at a number of variables and then it is calculated based on a composite model. Mmmh...Ndegwa help," she stated amid laughter from the audience.

What students from poor families will pay

As earlier reported, the government insisted it would shoulder the better of university fees for students coming from extremely poor households.

According to the Ministry of Education, such scholars, classed in band one, will only cater for 5% of the total fees throughout their courses in addition to loans and grants.

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba directed the public universities to ensure 100% admission regardless of students' households' capabilities.

Proofreading by Otukho Jackson, a multimedia journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke