The University Fund, a government body mandated with crafting formulae for funding public universities, proposed an increase of the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) disbursements in the new proposals to raise fees to Ksh52,000.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday, February 21, the body's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Geoffrey Monari explained that increasing loan disbursements would help cushion students who were struggling to make ends meet.
He noted that many students would be forced out of school if the government failed to increase HELB and raise fees at the same time.
"Even though fees should be increased, those funds should be able to be provided by HELB to help the student raise those fees.
"For consideration, the government should then consider how much the loan will be increased for the fees and upkeep for the students. Otherwise, if you increase fees without the loans, then it becomes a disadvantage to the needy students," Monari proposed.
However, he maintained support for the proposals to raise the fees noting that many institutions were struggling to support their academic programmes.
The Presidential Working Party on Education Reform proposed that the university fee for government students be raised from Ksh16,000 to Ksh52,000.
On the other hand, Monari indicated that plans were underway to revise the funding formula for the institutions of higher learning that were choking on debt.
The CEO expressed that the employment rate of university students would be one of the factors to consider in the new move.
"Currently, we do not have a formula for capital infrastructure projects. We will also look at how many graduates are there and how employable they are," he stated.
Proposals to increase the minimum fees for university students were a result of the strained financial conditions of the learning institutions.
According to the task force, universities owed various agencies and Saccos a sum of Ksh56 billion.
