The government is set to overhaul the way university and TVET students access financial assistance, with a new funding system that will focus more directly on students rather than their parents’ economic status.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba announced the proposed reforms on Friday, August 21, 2026, during the 11th graduation ceremony at the University of Embu.
Ogamba explained that the changes are aimed at expanding access to higher education, especially for deserving students whose families may not have sufficient resources to meet the cost of their education.
Universal Student Funding Model
The proposed system, referred to as the Universal Student Funding Model, is expected to replace the Student-Centred Funding Model introduced in 2023.
Currently, the government relies on the Means Testing Instrument to determine the amount of financial support a student receives. The assessment takes into account the student’s economic circumstances, including the financial capacity of their parents.
According to Ogamba, the system has at times resulted in unfair outcomes because students’ access to educational opportunities can be affected by their parents’ financial position.
Under the proposed model, greater emphasis will be placed on financing students’ education and professional development. The government intends to view university education as an investment in Kenya’s human capital, rather than placing a significant financial burden on individual families.
Ogamba also connected the proposed reforms to the financial challenges facing universities. He noted that previous funding systems, including the Differentiated Unit Cost model and the Student-Centred Funding Model, had contributed to financial difficulties in institutions amid concerns over inadequate government financing.
He further observed that some students had been compelled to abandon their preferred career paths because their families could only afford programmes that were less expensive.
The new funding framework is therefore expected to give students greater freedom to pursue courses that align with their talents, interests and career goals without being restricted by their parents’ immediate financial circumstances.
Ogamba said the broader aim of the reforms is to ensure that financial constraints do not prevent capable Kenyan students from accessing higher education and developing professional careers.
The proposed changes form part of wider government efforts to reform the financing of universities and TVET institutions and establish a more sustainable approach to funding higher education.