Funding Cuts for C+ Students Raise Concern Among Parents
Concerns have been raised by parents in Kenya over government plans to cut funding for students who scored a C+ in the 2022 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE).
Some parents fear that this move will leave thousands of children from humble backgrounds unable to further their education.
Speaking to the press on Sunday, February 26, Joyce Kemunto, a single parent, explained that withdrawal of the support would mean that her son, who repeated Form Four to qualify for the funding, would drop out of school.
Kemunto pleaded with the government to help children from poor families so that they can also contribute to the country’s development in the future.
Her son, Fred Sing’a, scored a C plain in the 2021 KCSE exam and was admitted to the polytechnic but lost the opportunity because she could not afford to pay his tuition fees.
If the state goes through with the plan, Sing’a would consider repeating the class for a second time to qualify for the sponsorship.
Another parent, Anthony Machoka, warned the government against converting education, which is a basic need, into a preserve of the rich in society. He noted that education should also benefit the poor because that is how a society is uplifted.
According to University Fund Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Geoffrey Monari, if the government proceeds with the plan, 70,088 students would be forced to part with more money to proceed with their tertiary education.
Monari revealed that the Treasury did not have the capacity to sponsor all 173,345 students who qualified to join the university.
The placement would be based on the availability of funds and would be conducted by the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS).
The KUCCPS Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Agnes Wahome called on universities to consider other sources of funding for students.
Therefore, students who may not qualify for government sponsorship may seek other funding sources to continue their education. However, this may disadvantage those from poor backgrounds who may not have access to such funding sources.
In conclusion, the proposed funding cuts for students who scored a C+ in the 2022 KCSE exam has sparked concerns among parents in Kenya. Some parents fear that this move may lock out children from humble backgrounds from accessing tertiary education.
Funding Cuts for C+ Students Raise Concern Among Parents
