Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has announced plans to introduce a new higher education funding framework that will guarantee full government support for all eligible students joining universities, Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) and technical institutions.
Kindiki said the proposed changes are aimed at promoting equality in access to higher education by ensuring that students are funded based on their academic performance rather than their families' financial backgrounds.
Speaking at Taveta KMTC Campus in Taveta Constituency, Taita Taveta County, the Deputy President said the government had forwarded proposed legislation to Parliament seeking to restructure the current higher education funding system.
He explained that the proposed law would bring together various funding arrangements under one Higher Education Fund, which would oversee student placement and financing across institutions of higher learning.
According to Kindiki, the new framework seeks to eliminate inequalities in access to education by ensuring that no deserving student is disadvantaged because of their parents' inability to pay university or college fees.
"Every student who qualifies to join university, KMTC or a technical institute must be funded fully by the Government of Kenya so that we can equalise every student irrespective of their ability of parents to pay," Kindiki said.
He added that the proposed changes would expand the mandate of the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB), allowing it to coordinate funding for students across different institutions.
The Deputy President said the administration was committed to ensuring that all young Kenyans have an opportunity to pursue higher education and secure better futures, regardless of their economic circumstances.
Kindiki made the remarks after inspecting ongoing construction works of student hostels at Taveta KMTC Campus, where he highlighted the government's efforts to improve accommodation facilities in institutions across the country.
He revealed that the government was working towards providing accommodation for 180,000 students in the first year of the programme.
He further said that the administration intended to ensure that every student has access to decent accommodation within the next three to five years.
"These hostels we are building are one of the measures we are taking. Across the country, we are building hostels for 180,000 students in the first year," he said.
Kindiki maintained that equitable development across all regions remained a central principle of the current administration, adding that government projects should benefit Kenyans regardless of their geographical location.
He cited ongoing programmes targeting roads, water and electricity infrastructure, saying the government was keen on ensuring that development was distributed fairly across the country.
The Deputy President said balanced development was necessary to promote national unity and ensure that no region was left behind in government investment.
He also highlighted plans to extend government-sponsored higher education financing to KMTC students, saying they had previously been excluded from the HELB funding programme.
According to Kindiki, the proposed changes would bring KMTC students into the government funding framework, allowing them to receive financial assistance to pursue their medical and health-related courses.
The proposed legislation is expected to undergo parliamentary consideration before the new funding arrangements can be implemented.
