134,000 students applied for aid and 26,000 appealed

Principal William Ruto said parents and students who were placed in bands other than their own were given the opportunity to appeal.

The President said those who were assigned to wrong bands would be corrected.

Ruto said at least 134,000 students applied for funding and 26,000 students appealed because they were placed in bands that did not belong to them.

The president added that the appellants would receive a response within two weeks.

“Every student or parent who appeals their grading in the new funding model will get a response as long as they provide the information and correct it on the portal,” he said.

The president said sometimes mistakes can occur when entering information on the Internet.

Under the new university funding model, students are divided into five levels.

The President said that under the new funding model, four tiers had previously existed and under the current model, he had added one more tier, bringing the total funding to four.

The funding framework replaces the Differential Unit Cost (DUC) previously used to fund universities.

The model was released on May 3 and according to Ruto, it aims to ensure that all eligible students receive adequate financial support for their education.

It also promotes the provision and accessibility of quality higher education and ensures that all students receive fair and adequate support based on their financial needs.

This funding model further ensures that funds are disbursed to students in a timely manner through higher education institutions.

Ruto added that the model was designed to address challenges faced by public universities and Technical and Vocational Education (TVET) institutions due to high enrolment numbers and insufficient funding.

The model prioritizes students’ financial need and separates placement from funding.

Under this model, universities and TVET institutions would no longer receive a block of funding from a head tax. But IFunding will be provided to students through scholarships, loans and family contributions.