153,292 students risk missing university admission over Helb budget cuts

Appearing before Education Committee, Higher Learning Principal Secretary Beatrice Inyangala disclosed that the continuous underfunding by the Treasury now leaves the State Department with a Sh22.9 billion budget deficit- comprising of Sh13.7 billion under Helb and Sh9.1 billion under the Universities Fund, which would affect funding of loans and scholarships to students across the country.

The Julius Melly-led committee consequently took issue with the National Treasury seeking to know what criteria it used in implementing the budget cuts.

“Were these budgetary deductions based on statistics or were they just done to balance the mathematics?” Posed Igembe North MP Julius Taitumu.

Lugari MP Nabii Nabwera sought to know why the Treasury decided to further slash the State Department’s budget in critical areas such as students funding, despite the fact that it was already underfunded.

“These Gen Z’s were already in the streets due to the inadequate funding. Now that you have further cut down the funding, do you want them to come back to the streets?” He posed.

Mandera South MP Haro Abdul said: “It is very disheartening to see all those students who graduated potentially miss out on admission due to the underfunding. It is also disheartening knowing that those already in universities may walk out due to inadequate funding.”

“I think it is going to be a disservice for this committee to approve this budget as is, knowing very well that student funding is critical," he added.

Nyamira Women Rep Jerusha Momanyi argued that “given the underfunding, this means that the crisis in existence will continue. We need to talk to Treasury to ensure that the most critical areas are adequately funded.”

Her sentiments were echoed by Narok MP Tonkei Rebbeca who further questioned the reduction in university funding.

The National Treasury officials were however at pains to explain the radical decision to cut funding but admitted to not having consulted the State Department on the matter.

“We did not have any consultation with the department because this is not a normal Supplementary Budget. After this, however, we hope to sit and rationalise,” said Nehemiah Odero from the Treasury.

Committee Chair Melly directed that the two parties engage in consultations on how to ensure adequate funding for the critical sectors under the Higher Education Department such as student funding.

“On the student funding, we shall see what to do. We can pressurise the Budget Committee to look into this matter…it would however have been prudent for the Treasury to call the State Department to see how to cut funding from the non-critical areas as opposed to the critical ones,” he said.