Govt unveils new university funding model, moves away from assessing parents’ wealth
The government has reiterated its commitment to making higher education more accessible and affordable to all deserving Kenyans through reforms to the university and TVET funding model. Speaking on Friday, August 21, 2026, during the 11th graduation ceremony of the University of Embu, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said the government was continuously refining the […]
The Kenyan government has unveiled a new university funding model aimed at making higher education more accessible and affordable for deserving Kenyan students. Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba announced the Universal Student Funding Model during the 11th graduation ceremony of the University of Embu on Friday, August 21, 2026.
The new framework, which moves away from the previous Means Testing Instrument (MTI) based Student-Centred Funding Model (SCFM), focuses on investing directly in students' future professional capacity rather than assessing their parents' financial circumstances. This shift aims to ensure no student's talent is wasted due to financial constraints.
Ogamba highlighted that the government has long struggled with financing higher education, particularly since the phasing out of the Differentiated Unit Cost (DUC) model in 2023. These previous models led to universities amassing significant debts, often due to insufficient government funding and leaving some institutions in dire financial situations.
The new model seeks to transform university education from a household expense into a state-backed investment in human capital. By shifting the focus from parents' financial capacity to students' future potential, the government hopes to open doors of opportunity equitably and prevent students from abandoning their chosen careers due to financial barriers.
Written by urgent.news from People Daily Kenya's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
