CS Machogu: We have released Sh3.9 billion for scholarships

Dec 2, 2023 - 16:08

By Peter Ochieng

Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Education Ezekiel Machogu has announced that the government through his Ministry, has released Sh3.9 billion to cover scholarships for government-sponsored first-year students in public universities.

Machogu on Saturday said the disbursement is the first tranche of financing under the new higher education funding model, launched mid this year. He said beneficiaries are students who successfully made their applications through the higher education financing portal, that was launched on the 31st of August 2023. Over 100,000 students landed the funding.

“A total of 115,892 first year students had successfully applied for scholarships by 29th of November 2023. The Universities Fund will disburse the Sh3.9 billion directly to individual universities for the successful applicants to cover their tuition fees based on the student’s individual need under the new funding model,” stated the CS.

“The release of the scholarship amount brings to Sh9.2 billion the amount of money the government has so far released to first-year students under the new higher education funding model that His Excellency President William Ruto launched on May 31, 2023,” said Machogu.

According to Machogu, all public universities will receive the scholarship portions for their respective students by Monday, 4th December 2023. Early last month, the government, through the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB), disbursed Sh5.3 billion for loans to first year students across the country.

The CS expressed what he termed as the government’s unwavering commitment to promote access to university education.

“The Ministry of Education wishes to express the Government’s unwavering commitment to promoting access to university education, and providing financial support to all deserving students, to ensure no one is left behind,” said the CS.

Students who sat for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education Examination (KCSE) in 2022 are the first cohort to benefit from the new model.