Public universities in Kenya are facing a major financial setback after the government slashed funding by up to KSh13 billion under the new higher education financing model.
Recent data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics shows that several top institutions have experienced sharp reductions in funding over the past three years, with some losing billions in capitation allocations.
Among the hardest hit are University of Nairobi, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, and Egerton University. At the University of Nairobi, funding dropped drastically from KSh2.44 billion in the 2023/2024 financial year to about KSh534.79 million in the current cycle.
A similar trend was recorded at JKUAT, where allocations fell from KSh2.5 billion to under KSh500 million, while Egerton University’s funding declined from KSh1.73 billion to roughly KSh365 million over the same period.
Other major institutions, including Kenyatta University, Moi University, and Maseno University, have also seen significant cuts, with allocations dropping from over KSh1 billion to nearly half in recent years.
Technical universities have not been spared either. Institutions like Technical University of Mombasa and Technical University of Kenya recorded some of the steepest declines, with funding reduced to a fraction of previous allocations.
The data also highlights a drop in the number of students receiving government sponsorship, although the trend varies across institutions. In some cases, student numbers increased despite reduced funding, raising concerns about sustainability.
The funding cuts come just months before the next university intake, with thousands of students expected to join higher education institutions. The situation has sparked concerns over the reliability of government support and the future of public universities under the current funding model.
While only students placed in public universities qualify for government scholarships, all learners—whether in public or private institutions—can still access loans through the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB).
Overall, the reductions signal growing financial pressure on universities, raising questions about how institutions will cope with shrinking resources while maintaining quality education.