Students warn against move to merge HELB, varsity funds

Ruto had proposed to merge the two bodies.

In Summary

•If this is adopted, Thogo said universities will spend the funds disbursed to cater for other expenditures.

•"The university administration will obviously use these funds to pay for their expenditures first before disbursing them to the students."

University of Nairobi Students Association Chairperson Melvin Thogo submits her veiws to the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms at the University of Nairobi
University of Nairobi Students Association Chairperson Melvin Thogo submits her veiws to the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms at the University of Nairobi
Image: LAURA SHATUMA

University students have warned against the move to merge HELB and the varsities funds.

University of Nairobi Student Association (UNSA) chairperson Melvin Thogo said the plan will not be a solution to the funding crisis in universities.

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In his education charter, President William Ruto proposed to merge the two bodies.

"While this may look attractive at face value, this is the easiest way to disenfranchise students of this fund," Thogo said.

The UNSA chairperson was making her submissions to the presidential Working Party on education reforms on Friday.

"Amalgamating the funds means the university administration will directly receive the money and then disburse them to students," Thogo said.

If this is adopted, Thogo said universities will spend the funds disbursed to cater for other expenditures.

"The university administration will obviously use these funds to pay for their expenditures first before disbursing them to the students. This means the amount disbursed to the students might be reduced or not disbursed at all," she said.

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