Varsity students in limbo amid lecturers go slow

Public universities are reopening for a new academic year amid a financial and administrative crisis, frustrating both students and staff.

Some students are yet to know their new fees after the government announced a reduction of between 15 and 40 per cent on tuition fees that will affect over 500,000 students under the new funding model.

Students, particularly continuing ones, face delayed registration and withheld exam results as universities insist on full payment of fees before admission. The affected include those set to join university this year, second and third year students.

Students interviewed by The Standard indicate that the new fees are yet to reflect in their portals making it hard to know the amount they will pay for the new semester. “I have been receiving texts from various students, especially those in second and third year, who are confused on the amount of fees they are expected to pay.

We are required to pay at least 50 per cent of the fees when the semester begins and at the moment they are unsure whether they should pay the same amount they paid last semester,” said Remy Ouma, Multimedia University Student Association president.

At the same time, some university lecturers have staged a go slow and withheld student examination results for the last semester leading to a renewed crisis. This has seen students stranded in registration of a new academic year and even booking for accommodation for the new semester beginning in September.

There have been reports of delayed salaries, with part-time lecturers bearing the biggest brunt with such instances reported at Multimedia University (MMU) and Technical University of Kenya (TUK) with the part-time lecturers reportedly hoarding results for some students.

Elisha Wasike, the University of Nairobi Students Association (UNSA) secretary said the delay has majorly affected medical students with lecturers in the faculty demanding unpaid allowances.

“Medical students can only progress to the next semester after they pass their examination, and with no results, it means we are unable to proceed to the next level. It also complicates options for those sitting supplementary examinations and this is actually causing mental distress among students,” Wasike said.

He also reported that some other faculties are witnessing partial release of results as parttime lecturers are yet to be paid. However, Vice Chancellor’s committee chairman Daniel Mugendi said the failure to release results was unique to specific institutions.

“Such cases are not universal, they affect institutions or faculties that mainly rely on part time lecturers who insist they be paid as a bargaining chip,” Mugendi said.

On Tuesday, the Ministry of Education announced that it had released funds to universities. Education Cabinet Secretary, Julius Ogamba in a statement said the Higher Education Loans Board, has disbursed Sh9.46 billion to support over 309,000 university students.

The disbursement is split into two key components: Sh5.76 billion has been allocated directly to universities to cover tuition fees, while Sh3.7 billion has been sent to students for their upkeep and living expenses. A total of 309,178 students are set to benefit from the disbursement.

“The Government will continue to provide the requisite funding to ensure that higher education remains accessible and affordable and that no student is left behind on account of financial limitations,” Ogamba said.

However, despite the government releasing capitation funds to institutions, many universities are struggling. The funds come after five months without government funding that pushed universities to the brink of shutdown.

The Standard has established that the government was yet to remit Sh22 billion for student tuition fees meant for last year.