Kenya: Ruto Abandons Means-Tested Model, Proposes Universal University Funding

What the report says

AllAfrica, carrying a Capital FM report from Nairobi, says President William Ruto has proposed a shift to universal state support for all students placed in Kenyan universities and colleges, regardless of family income. Speaking at State House during the launch of a report on Kenya’s development agenda beyond Vision 2030, Ruto said amendments had been sent to Parliament to establish the new financing system in law. He asked legislators to move quickly so the framework can be in place before universities reopen in September.

The proposal would reverse the Kenya Kwanza administration’s higher education funding model introduced in 2023, which assessed students by financial need and assigned levels of scholarships, loans and household contributions. According to the report, that approach drew criticism from students, universities and courts over implementation, fairness and sustainability. Ruto acknowledged that the differentiated model had not achieved its intended results, saying universities suffered when promised funding levels fell short.

Ruto said the planned universal model is meant to make academic qualification, rather than household capacity, the basis for access to higher education. He cited cases in which students admitted to expensive courses such as medicine or engineering were unable to continue because families could not meet required contributions. The President described the change as part of a broader effort to make education central to Kenya’s long-term economic competitiveness.

The same event also covered Kenya’s post-Vision 2030 planning. Ruto said the National Infrastructure Fund and Sovereign Wealth Fund had been established in law and suggested that the next long-term development blueprint should also be legally anchored to reduce disruption after elections. The government is expected to review the report’s recommendations before consultations with universities, counties, businesses, professional bodies, religious groups and communities.