First-Year students stranded amid uncertainty over tuition reductions

Although the Ministry of Education assured that the adjustments had been finalized, most universities are still unable to provide clear details on the revised fees, leaving many students uncertain about how much they are required to pay as admissions for new learners begin this week.

Education Cabinet Secretary Migos Ogamba confirmed that the ministry had shared the necessary data with universities, noting that the process of uploading the new fee structures onto student portals was still ongoing.

“On Friday the data got ready. This is the time universities are now feeding that data, and in a number of institutions, the process has not been completed. That is where we are having confusion, with students saying they cannot yet see the changes,” said Ogamba.

The delays have left some families stranded. Twenty-year-old Collins Barare from Isecha, Kitutu Chache North in Kisii County, has been admitted to Tom Mboya University to pursue a Bachelor of Education degree. However, his family remains in the dark about the exact amount of tuition he should pay, weeks after the government announced the fee cuts.

“I applied for HELB and a scholarship and was told my applications were successful, but I don’t know how much I’ve been allocated. Even the bands are not clear. Right now, I don’t know if I will be able to join,” said Barare.

His mother, Naomi Kwamboka, expressed frustration, citing financial difficulties. “We don’t know how much we are supposed to pay, and even if we did, I don’t have the money. I haven’t managed to get hostel fees either. I already sent my other child to Nairobi to work as a maid so she can help pay school fees,” she said.

Continuing students are also affected. At Kisii University, some students say the reductions have not been reflected in their accounts, while others report receiving some relief. “Personally, I haven’t seen any changes in my portal, but I’m hopeful,” said Dickson Odhiambo. His colleague Kennedy Owino, however, noted, “My fees have been reduced and it’s a big relief. We’ve started to see the benefits.”

In Nyeri, Dedan Kimathi University of Technology has already informed continuing students that they will not issue updated fee structures until the government confirms individual allocations.

Despite the delays, CS Ogamba reassured students that no deserving learner would be left behind under the new funding model. He added that the government had created a five-week window for students to raise complaints in case of errors in their allocations.