Critical analysis of the nexus between higher education funding and equity: Interrogating Kenya’s new student-centered funding model (2023) through the lens of John Rawls’ theory of justice

Abstract

Higher education financing remains a critical policy and philosophical challenge because funding arrangements determine not only the sustainability of universities but also the distribution of educational opportunities within society. In Kenya, persistent challenges related to increasing enrolment, declining public financing, institutional financial constraints, and unequal access have stimulated reforms in higher education funding. The introduction of the Student-Centered Funding Model in 2023 represents a significant shift from institution-based financing toward a need-based approach that allocates government support according to students’ socioeconomic circumstances. However, questions remain regarding whether the model sufficiently promotes equity and social justice while ensuring the sustainability of public universities. This article critically examines the nexus between higher education funding and equity by interrogating Kenya’s Student-Centered Funding Model through the lens of John Rawls’ Theory of Justice. The study adopted a qualitative philosophical research design based on critical policy and documentary analysis. Data were obtained from policy documents, government reports, scholarly literature, and theoretical works on justice and higher education financing. Thematic and philosophical analysis were employed to examine the model’s alignment with principles of fair equality of opportunity and the difference principle. The findings reveal that the funding model represents an important movement toward equity by recognizing socioeconomic differences among students and directing greater support toward disadvantaged groups. However, the analysis also identifies challenges related to student categorization, adequacy of financial support, transparency of the means-testing process, and the balance between student equity and university sustainability. The article argues that while the Student-Centered Funding Model reflects elements of Rawlsian justice, its capacity to achieve substantive equity depends on whether implementation mechanisms genuinely improve the educational opportunities of the least advantaged. The study recommends strengthening need assessment processes, ensuring adequate support for vulnerable students, maintaining sustainable institutional financing, and adopting continuous evaluation mechanisms to ensure that higher education financing contributes to social justice.