In a strategic policy transition that aligns with a revamped funding model, the leadership landscape of private universities is poised for a transformation. This imminent change involves the exclusion of Vice-chancellors (VCs) from private universities from the board of a pivotal State agency responsible for student placements.
The upcoming parliamentary deliberations on the transformative Universities (Amendment) Bill of 2023 are primed to catalyze this shift. Upon its potential enactment, the bill will orchestrate the removal of both Vice-chancellors representing private universities from the currently constituted 13-member board of the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS).
This legislative proposition gains particular significance due to its timing coinciding with the State’s adoption of a novel funding paradigm. This new approach has effectively ceased the government’s practice of extending financial capitation to students enrolled in private universities.
Read: Glitches Plague State’s New University Funding Platform
The essence of this amendment is succinctly articulated within the bill itself: “The provision removes the two Vice-Chancellors representing private universities’ membership on the board of the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service.”
Central to the evolving funding structure is the prioritization of student needs. With the phased-out Differentiated Unit Cost, the reimagined funding formula entails a fresh methodology. It allocates university funding according to distinct need levels, classified as vulnerable, extremely needy, needy, and less needy.
This paradigm shift translates into a scenario where financial support is tailored to individual students based on their socioeconomic situations. Striving to rectify disparities, the formula endeavors to provide students from disadvantaged backgrounds, particularly those hailing from financially challenged households, with more substantial financial assistance compared to their more affluent counterparts.
Read: Private Universities Bracing for a Reduction of Ksh 1.8 Billion in Funding
The metrics employed by the State to categorize students encompass a comprehensive array of eight indicators. These include parents’ background, gender, course type, the presence of marginalization, disabilities, as well as family size and composition.
In a holistic transformation encompassing policy, funding, and support mechanisms, these initiatives collectively set the stage for an education landscape that is fairer, more inclusive, and attuned to the multifaceted needs of the student populace.
