Pushes for Unified Bursary Fund to Combat University Funding Inequality read now..
Chief Justice Martha Koome has voiced strong opposition to Kenya’s current university funding model, highlighting its potential to exacerbate social inequality. The model categorizes students into various funding bands based on factors such as family income, size, and region. However, Koome has raised concerns that many students from low-income households are being unfairly placed in Band 5, which requires them to cover up to 60% of their tuition fees. Paradoxically, wealthier students are sometimes categorized in Band 1, which offers the most generous financial support from the government.
Koome has called for a significant reform to address these issues. Her proposal is to consolidate all existing bursaries, including those managed by county governments, Members of Parliament, and other local authorities, into a single national education fund. By pooling these resources, she believes the government could provide free tertiary education, ensuring equal access for all students, regardless of their financial background. This approach, Koome argues, would eliminate the inconsistencies and inequalities inherent in the current system, allowing students to pursue higher education without the burden of prohibitive costs.
Koome’s remarks reflect widespread concerns about the fairness of the current funding model, as many Kenyans believe it disadvantages those in need while providing unwarranted support to wealthier families
