Parents will have to dig deeper into their pockets after Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu affirmed that not all the 173,345 KCSE candidates who scored C+ and above will get government sponsorship.
Speaking to the media on Saturday, January 21, Machogu indicated that the level of funding has remained constant despite the number of students doubling in the past six years.
According to the CS, the Ministry is only allocated 25 per cent of the budget - hence has to take stringent measures to only cater to the needy.
"The level of funding has remained the same yet the number has more than doubled since 2016. The Ministry of Education (MoE) takes 25 per cent of the national budget. If we are to sponsor everybody, it could rise to 35 per cent," he told Nation.
The CS added that the government is yet to come up with a formula for university funding, given the rise in the number of students sitting national examinations.
He affirmed that his Ministry would rely on recommendations from the presidential task force whose final report is expected to be released in March 2023.
According to the Ministry, 173,345 KCSE candidates scored C+ and above and subsequently secured a slot in the university. The CS has, however, affirmed that the government is unable to cater to all students in terms of sponsorship.
President William Ruto, while addressing journalists at State House on January 4, 2023, indicated that a new policy would be formulated to allow the government to only support students who cannot afford funds.
"We have students in academies who pay Ksh200,000 a term but when they go to university, we tell them we can pay for all of them. Why?
"If a parent is able to pay for their child in primary and in secondary, why don't we allow them to pay for their child in university so that we support the children of the people who cannot afford," Ruto previously stated.
The CS, while announcing the KCSE results, departed from the traditional naming of top schools and candidates in the national assessment.
Speaking at Mtihani House on Friday, January 20, Machogu noted that the government decided to release exam results early to allow the students to prepare for the transition to institutions of higher learning.
"As I have already stated 841,416 candidates sat for 2022 KCSE examinations compared to 826,807 candidates in 2021," Machogu stated.
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