The Elimu Bora Working Group has raised concerns over the financial burden facing families as thousands of students struggle to secure funding for university and other tertiary education programmes.
Speaking during a press briefing on the proposed formula for funding higher education, the group said some parents were being forced to borrow money from informal lenders to keep their children in school.
The group said many families had initially planned to raise funds through harambees but abandoned those plans after the government gave assurances on the financing of higher education. According to the group, the families are now stranded as they await clarity on how the government's promise will be implemented.
It warned that learners from poor households should not be pushed into debt because of gaps in government funding programmes.
The working group further cautioned that the country could face a crisis if students graduate with significant debts that they are unable to service, particularly in an economy where securing employment remains a challenge.
On students joining universities in September, the group called on the government to provide clear guidance on the way forward, saying some learners had already reported to class but remained uncertain about how their fees and funding would be settled.
The group said Parliament should legislate the right to education rather than leave families dependent on government promises.
“We need to work towards the right, not the promise,” the group said, noting that it had already submitted a memorandum to Parliament on proposed legislation addressing higher education funding.
The Elimu Bora Working Group said it supports the proposed Tertiary Education Placement and Funding Bill, particularly its emphasis on universal placement and the principle of universal funding.
However, the group said the mechanism for translating those principles into actual financial support for students remained unclear.
It argued that government funding and policy frameworks should be designed to improve access and quality of education without transferring an unsustainable financial burden to households.
The group also questioned why the government made assurances on higher education funding before putting in place the necessary legislative and administrative mechanisms to implement them.
It said “full funding” should mean comprehensive financial support for students rather than shifting the burden to commercial loans.
According to the group, proposals to provide loans through financial institutions have raised concerns over how students would repay the money if they graduate without securing employment.
The working group accused the government of making announcements without adequately considering their impact on families, warning that households should not be left in uncertainty after relying on official assurances.
It called for the government to come clean on the financing arrangements for students joining universities and other tertiary institutions, saying thousands of families were currently waiting for clear direction on what happens next.
