NAIROBI, Kenya — Former Chief Justice David Maraga has sharply criticized the government’s revamped university funding model, warning that it risks devastating Kenya’s higher education sector and forcing thousands of students out of school.
Speaking at a press briefing on Sunday, August 3, Maraga dismissed the model as rushed and ill-conceived, arguing that it lacks a comprehensive strategy and fails to consider the financial realities facing many Kenyan households.
“Why change something that was working without a clear plan?” Maraga posed. “You cannot just introduce a new system without thoroughly thinking it through. This is how students end up missing classes and dropping out altogether.”
The government rolled out the Student-Centred Funding Model in 2023, championed by President William Ruto as a solution to the ballooning financial crises at public universities and TVET institutions.
The new model replaced the Differentiated Unit Cost (DUC) formula, redirecting funds to students based on individual financial needs instead of blanket institutional allocations.
Student eligibility for government aid is now determined through a Means Testing Instrument (MTI) that factors in household income, geographic location, disability status, course selection, and the number of dependents.
Maraga: New System Has Missed the Mark
Maraga questioned both the intent and implementation of the new structure, saying it ignores the socio-economic disparities that already burden thousands of learners.
“The new model has only increased financial pressure on families. Instead of supporting education, it’s becoming a barrier,” he said.
He also warned that the long-term consequences could be dire: increased dropout rates, widening inequality, and long-term damage to Kenya’s academic institutions.
Government Defends Model, Slashes Fees
Just days earlier, Higher Education Principal Secretary Beatrice Muganda Inyangala defended the model, announcing reduced tuition fees for students in public universities starting September 1, 2025.
Under the revised structure:
- Students studying clinical medicine and dentistry will now pay between Ksh22,371 and Ksh75,000 per semester, depending on need.
- Pre-clinical students in the same fields will pay between Ksh12,960 and Ksh51,840.
- Architecture and engineering students will be charged Ksh12,960 to Ksh57,888.
Inyangala noted that these reductions apply to both new and continuing students, directing universities to enforce the new fees uniformly to ensure no student is left behind.
“This is a landmark move to make university education more affordable and equitable,” she said in a statement released on July 31.
However, critics like Maraga say the fee adjustment is not enough.
“Slashing fees doesn’t fix a broken model,” he said. “We need a strategy that supports students holistically—not just on paper.”
As the debate heats up, many students and education stakeholders are calling for a national conversation to address what they see as growing cracks in the higher education system.
