The leaders highlighted anxiety across the universities and among parents/guardians as pertains to the new funding model and the categorization of the students into five bands.Â
Student leaders drawn from various universities across the country have called off planned demonstrations against the contentious university funding model proposed by the government, opting to engage the government over the matter.
The leaders, both elected and non-elected, addressed journalists at Beirut Restaurant in Nairobi on Sunday, September 8, putting aside their differences so that they could address a matter they termed as a concern to university students across the country.
The leaders highlighted anxiety across the universities and among parents/guardians as pertains to the new funding model and the categorization of the students into five bands.Â
JKUAT students protesting on July 12, 2024. /VIRAL TEA KE
“As you are all aware, the majority of comrades have been wrongly banded and most if not all parents are unable to raise the required household contributions while other comrades are not fully banded and are unable to even report to their respective universities,” they stated in a joint press release, adding “As leaders, we are also aware of efforts being put in place so far by the various stakeholders into resolving this matter.”
The leaders welcomed the government’s most recent proposal to form an all-inclusive committee with representation from the student unions to look at the ongoing appeals and the re-evaluation of the model and come up with better remedies.
The government had earlier announced plans to establish two working committees to work on the new funding model. In a statement, the Ministry of Education announced that the working committees will draw membership from the student leadership, experts and other relevant stakeholders.
According to the Ministry, the committees will review the status of the implementation of the new funding model and make recommendations for its improvement.
“We urge that this goodwill is expedited so that short-term remedies can be considered while a commitment is put to the long-term solution to this problem. As leaders, we support the new approach but call on the government to facilitate the development of strict timelines and TOR for the committees’ workings. Comrades will not accept any complacency any more, let us fix it and move on as a country,” the leaders added.
Further, they compelled the government in consultation with universities’ leadership to cut down the exorbitant cost of hostel accommodation and those with strict fee deadlines to spread the same within the semester.
While the student leaders welcomed the opportunity presented for dialogue, they warned against entertaining complacency from the government.
They further revealed that they received information of planned infiltration of the protests by goons, thus their decision to call off the protests that were slated for Monday, September 9.
“We believe street demonstration is not the best route now unless we have no other options left. Comrades, we see light at the end of the tunnel, and it is in the interest of this caucus that we give dialogue a chance and given the information we have of political mobilization of goons within and around Nairobi to infiltrate our “tisa tisa” planned demonstrations, we join hands with our student leaders who addressed the media yesterday to CALL-OFF tomorrow’s activity and return to the table of discussion on this matter.
“Let us stay safe and calm as we pursue this matter for an amicable solution and a resounding win for all comrades,” they concluded.
Anti-riot police officers during past anti-Finance Bill protests in Nairobi. /AFP
