The goal was to discuss the President's proposed higher education funding model. However, the meeting ended without persuading the students to support the plan, which has faced considerable controversy.
The meeting, which lasted five hours, started at 4 p.m. and concluded around 9 p.m. Alongside President Ruto, Higher Education Principal Secretary Beatrice Inyangala and Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo were present.
Despite the high-profile attendees, the student leaders left feeling that their concerns were not adequately addressed.
Each student participant received a Sh25,000 'facilitation' payment for attending the meeting. This payment has added to the controversy surrounding the event.
While State House spokesperson Hussein Mohammed confirmed the meeting took place, he claimed he was unaware of any such payments being made to the students.
The discrepancy between the official statement and the students' reports has further fueled the debate. During the meeting, the student leaders voiced their concerns about the new funding model.
Many expressed dissatisfaction with how the model classifies students for scholarships and loans. The primary complaint was that the model was punitive and did not accurately reflect the financial situations of many students.
Egerton University’s Secretary General, Justice Mutuma, openly criticized the plan, stating, “We told him (the President) to his face that the reason we are rejecting the programme (funding model) is because it is punitive to comrades (students).”
The meeting was held after a previous gathering at the Kenya School of Government, which also failed to resolve the issues surrounding the funding model.
Despite the opportunity for open discussion, no agreement was reached. The student leaders expressed frustration with the Ministry of Education’s lack of responsiveness to their concerns.
In response to the mounting discontent, President Ruto and the Education Ministry have instructed universities to revise earlier fee letters to better match the actual costs of education.
This move aims to address some of the complaints about the funding model, but it remains to be seen if it will be enough to win over the student leaders.
The discontent among the student leaders suggests that the new funding model is still far from being accepted. Many students have voiced their grievances on social media, reflecting widespread dissatisfaction with the current approach.
The President’s administration has indicated that another town hall meeting with university students will be scheduled soon to further address the issues raised.
0 Comments