Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has directed universities to ensure accurate information is uploaded on student portals to avert confusion at the start of the new semester.
The directive follows a fee hitch at the University of Nairobi (UoN), where new students logging into their portals ahead of registration were shocked to find demands of up to Sh50,000.
Mr Ogamba explained that the problem arose because UoN prepared the fee data for individual students on Friday, August 15, while the institution was set to reopen on Monday, August 18. As a result, the actual figures could not be uploaded over the weekend.
“Universities have been directed to upload the correct information for each student on their portal,” he said yesterday during the issuance of a Letter of Interim Authority to Consolata International University (CIU) at the Commission for University Education (CUE) offices.
The CS added that a team had been deployed to UoN and other universities to assist students in logging in and ensuring that the necessary corrections are made.
The government recently reduced semester fees for students by between 15 and 40 percent, meaning charges now range between Sh5,814 and Sh75,000 per semester, depending on the programme of study and categorisation.
On Tuesday, the Higher Education Loans Board (Helb) disbursed Sh9.46 billion—comprising Sh5.76 billion for tuition and Sh3.7 billion for upkeep—to support 309,178 university students.
Mr Ogamba clarified that the funds are being released in phases, noting that students whose semesters begin in October may not immediately see the allocations reflected in their portals.
Two weeks ago, the Ministry of Education announced that 201,695 first-year students and 257,530 Technical and Vocational Education and Training trainees will benefit from the reduced fees.
The reductions, aimed at making higher education more affordable, take effect from September 1, 2025, and apply to both new and continuing students.
Meanwhile, CS Ogamba lauded the award of a Letter of Interim Authority to CIU, saying it expands opportunities for thousands of young Kenyans.
CIU, located in Karen, becomes the 81st university in Kenya, raising to five the number of institutions operating under interim authority.
“Consolata International University was taken through a rigorous evaluation process and we are convinced that as it commences its operations it will be offering quality university education,” said CUE incoming chairman Prof James Onyango.
