HELB releases funds after uproar from university students

The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) has started releasing funds to Universities and other tertiary institutions.

In a statement on Wednesday, October 4, HELB Chief Executive Officer Charles Ringera said that the education funding body commenced the disbursement of the loans on October 4.

“The upkeep loans for the over 175,000 undergraduate students and over 70,000 TVET continuing students under the Old Higher Education Funding Model (OFM) is currently being disbursed,” he said.

The government recently rolled out a New Funding Model (NFM) for tertiary learners after recommendations by the education reforms task force.

Under the NFM, the government seeks to categorize students into vulnerable, extremely needy, needy, and less needy, where students will be awarded 100, 93, and 40 percent funding respectively.

According to Ringera, the extended application deadline of October 7 by first-time applicants still stands as granted by Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu.

He added that, for first-time applicants, the disbursement process of their loans will shortly follow after the October 7 deadline.

The HELB boss also urged institutions of higher learning to allow students to register for courses as tuition fees to various institutions have also been released.

HELB has announced the release of funds at a time when university students were accusing the government of delaying the disbursement of the funds.

For instance, on Tuesday October 3, Multimedia University Students held demonstrations in a bid to push the government to release the HELB loans.

At the same time, university student leaders in the country, led by Kenyatta University Student Association chairperson Teddy Odhiambo on October 4, threatened to take to the streets if the government failed to credit their accounts.