Private University Students To Pay For Their Education
Private University students To Pay For Their Education. Thousands of Kenyan students attending private institutions may be required to pay for their own education as a result of proposed changes to the University Act 2012.
The Universities (Amendment) Act 2023 aims to shift the cost of tuition to government-sponsored students attending private colleges despite the fact that the government is now permitted to subsidize private universities through conditional grants.
Education groups have opposed the measure, claiming that it breaches students’ rights and discriminates against them.
The bill, according to the National Parents Association (NPA), restricts access to higher education to just those who can pay it, constituting a farce of children’s rights.
The bill’s opponents claim that it will undo the gains gained in expanding access to higher education, leading to a rise in student dropout rates, especially among those from disadvantaged families.
In order to improve the university entry grade from C+, it is thought that the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) should not be allowed to place undergraduate students in private universities.
By eliminating conditional grants to private universities and prohibiting KUCCPS from enrolling normal students in private colleges, the bill seeks to amend three provisions of the main University Act No. 42 of 2012.
The authors of the measure assert that it is intended to prevent the misappropriation of public funds by private organizations that are not subject to oversight under the Public Finance Management regulatory framework.
Critics counter that it undermines students’ rights and restricts access to education. They issue a warning that mass university dropouts should be anticipated if the bill is passed into law.
Moses Nthurima, the deputy secretary-general of the Kenya Union of Post Primary Teachers (Kuppet), issues a warning that the measure will have unfavorable effects if it becomes law.
The Universities (Amendment) Act 2023, which would transfer tuition charges to government-sponsored students attending private universities, has drawn a lot of criticism from many involved in the education sector since they believe it to be discriminatory and a violation of children’s rights.
Many students will drop out of school, according to critics of the plan who claim it will undercut the progress made in expanding access to higher education.