Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba announced new government initiatives on Sunday to address concerns surrounding the New University Funding Model.
In response to public outcry, the CS stated that the government will form two broad-based working committees that will include student leaders to assess the implementation of the funding model.
These committees will conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the model’s implementation and offer recommendations to address the challenges it faces. Ogamba noted that each committee will have specific terms of reference, which will be published later this week after gathering input from student leadership.
The committees will also evaluate the effectiveness of the Means Testing Instrument, ensuring that it accurately categorizes students based on their socio-economic realities.
“The specific terms of reference, which we will publish this week after receiving input from student leadership, will assess the efficiency of the appeals mechanism for accurate student categorization and analyze the costs of university programs,” Ogamba explained.
Additionally, the committees will examine the structure of student loans, including interest rates and repayment periods. The CS emphasized that establishing these time-bound committees aims to enhance efficiency and ensure meaningful student participation in decision-making.
Ogamba acknowledged that the government had held several forums with students and other stakeholders, which resulted in various improvements to the model. However, he noted that students continue to seek a greater voice in the decision-making process.
In light of the government’s decision to form these committees, Ogamba urged student leaders to cancel the planned demonstrations set for Monday.
“To facilitate an open consultative process, we ask university leadership to call off the demonstrations scheduled for September 9, 2024,” he said.
“This will allow the student community to effectively contribute to discussions about their education while enabling them to continue their studies without disruption.”
