KUCCPS gives universities deadline to reveal cost of degree programmes after Ruto’s order

The Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) has reached out to institutions of higher learning, directing them to provide information on the cost of degree academic programmes in their institutions.

The institutions have until May 9, 2023 to comply with the order that is in line with President William Ruto’s decree when he announced a raft of changes in funding public university education.

When announcing the reforms on May 3, Ruto directed all universities and TVETs to provide the accurate cost of various courses at the institutions.

The president revealed that his administration would allocate Ksh.84.6 billion in the 2023/24 financial year to the institutions, a significant increase of Ksh.30.6 billion.

A letter authored by KUCCPS CEO Dr. Agnes Mercy Wahome on May 5 directs the vice-chancellors of universities and principals of constituent university colleges directs them to comply with the timelines stated by the president.

"In light of the foregoing, this is to request you to disclose information on the cost of academic programmes in your institutions," reads the letter in part.

The Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service Chief Executive Officer Agnes Mercy Wahome. Pulse Live Kenya

READ: Explainer: Ruto's new university funding model & how it affects students

Dr. Wahome reiterated that state will cease funding students who qualify for public universities but opt to join private ones.

This is in line with an earlier communication issued by by Education CS Ezekiel Machogu.

"Students who will select programs in private universities and TVET institutions, will not get Government scholarships, and will only be eligible to apply for HELB loan.

"Kindly submit this information in the prescribed format to, programmecosts@kuccps.ac.ke by Tuesday, 9th May 2023, as follows: a duly filled Excel template (attached) and a scanned PDF of the duly filled template attached with a forwarding letter addressed to the CEO, KUCCPS," said Wahome.

New funding model unveiled by President Ruto

In an address to the nation on Wednesday, May 3, 2023, President Ruto said that the old funding model had occasioned the current cash crunch facing public universities.

He acknowledged that the annual Sh54 billion funding budgeted for public universities was less than 50% of what the tertiary institutions require.

The new university funding model doesn’t increase university fees.

In the financial year 2022/23, Sh54 billion was allocated to university education as grants and loans.

Ruto said the budgetary allocation would be increased to 84.6 billion in the next financial year. TVETs will get an increment from Sh5.2 billion to Sh10 billion in 2023/24.