Third-year students at Rongo University were on Thursday ordered to vacate the premises with immediate effect for the safety of school property and that of the other students.
According to a memo published on the university’s student portal, this decision follows disturbances that had been happening at the school over the past 24 hours.
“Senate at a meeting held on Thursday, September 19, 2024, resolved that due to disturbances in the University in the last 24 hours, all third-year students are directed to vacate the university premises with immediate effect for the safety of university property, other students, staff and community.” the memo read.
The decision follows students’ unrest at the university that led to a disruption in academic activities.
Multimedia University Students protest over delayed HELB disbursement in Kajiado County on October 3, 2023.
Photo
LMunene
According to video footage seen by Kenyans.co.ke, the students were protesting an unprecedented increase in school fees without any prior warning or explanation.
“We came back knowing that the school fee was Ksh22,350. Then after two weeks, we are now being told that the fee is Ksh33,000,” one of the protesting students is heard saying.
Over the past few weeks, protests have been erupting at universities across the country mostly decrying the new funding model.
The controversial new system is meant to change how higher education funds are disbursed.
Instead of higher education institutions receiving a block capitation of the funds as in HELB, the new model will disburse student loans through scholarships and household contributions.
After calling off planned countrywide protests on September 8, the university students seem to not have reached a compromise with the government as students from various universities still took to the streets on September 9 to protest.
On Wednesday, September 18, students from the University of Nairobi issued another 14-day strike notice. In their grievances, the students want the old model restored as this one is discriminatory and blind to the diverse nature of university students.
So far, the president has held a town hall meeting where he answered questions fielded by concerned university students, and on September 16, he appointed a committee to review the new university funding model.
President William Ruto addressed graduands at the University of East Africa Baraton in Nandi County on August 18, 2024.
William Ruto
