Financing higher education in Kenya
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Date
2003Author
Kipsang, Richard B
Type
ThesisLanguage
enMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
The Kenyan government has made tremendous strides in the provision of education at all
levels. The importance of universities providing the technical, managerial and professional
skills needed for sustained development is reflected in the special status accorded to them
and the large public budgets they receive in most countries. This study deals with the major
dilemma facing almost all governments in both developed and developing world with
specific reference to Kenya: how to continue to expand university education to meet the
ever growing demand for higher education, in the absence of sufficient additional public
funding to sustain the growth.
This study focused on the provision of equitable opportunity to all citizens to pursue higher
education irrespective of their gender, race, religion or socio-economic status, however as
research findings revealed the caveat to this treasured principle is the inadequacy of finance.
It is imperative therefore that resources in higher education are efficiently and effectively
utilized considering that public finances are limited and government spending priorities have
changed towards the lower levels.
This study examines the student loans scheme in Kenya, and from the findings from the
study it is argued that there is need for the student loans scheme to target its support to the
needy and poor if the government has to continue to subsidize the program. These reforms
will assist the government achieve the desired effects of equity, efficiency and equality of
opporturuty.
In conclusion the study was undertaken to address the problems of financing higher
education in Kenya in this era of constrained public resources and rising social demand for
education. The problems of financing higher education sub-sector are to - maintain equity,
efficiency and equality of opportunity. The study has attempted to suggest ways to come to
grips with these problems. It is by no means conclusive and I recommend further research in
the area of financing higher education in developing countries.
Sponsorhip
University of NairobiPublisher
Department of Economics, University of Nairobi