Students from at least five public universities yesterday held demonstrations against the new funding model in defiance of their national leaders who called off a nationwide strike.
This underscores the need for all the parties to seriously engage and reach an amicable arrangement. The students are pushing for the scrapping of the new model, which is now in its second year of implementation. Instead, they want the old differentiated unit cost (DUC) model reinstated.
The raging crisis in the higher education sector is a rejection of the controversial new model, which should be drastically reorganised or scrapped altogether and a more acceptable alternative introduced.
The new model categorises applicants as needy or less needy and so on to determine the levels of scholarship they get. The learners are placed in five bands, based on their ability to pay.
Make education more affordable
New Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba’s announcement of the formation of two committees to look into the issues raised by the students, their parents and other stakeholders is a step in the right direction. He has proposed that student leaders join the committees, which will include experts.
The students want the funding system revised to make education more affordable, especially for students from poor families. The high cost of accommodation and the rigid fees schedules are among the worrisome issues. The DUC under system granted students in the various programmes uniform funding irrespective of their social status.
Indeed, many wonder why the old system has been axed. The major complaint is that many students have been placed in bands that do not reflect their real financial situations. The students also want the loan interest rate reduced from 4 to 2 per cent per year.
The working committees should quickly come up with solid proposals to resolve all the sticky issues. If it’s not possible to restore the DUC, then a new more appropriate funding model should be formulated and immediately implemented
