Machogu: Processing of Helb loan applications complete
Cabinet Secretary for Education Ezekiel Machogu.
What you need to know:
- The applications closed on September 7, 2023, and students have been waiting for the funds to be released ever since.
- Funds will be divided into bursaries and loans based on the needs of individual students and the educational programme they are pursuing.
The processing of applications for student loans and bursaries is now complete and first year university students and those in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions will receive the money next week, Education CS Ezekiel Machogu has announced.
The announcement comes in the wake of discontent among students who have been without financial support from the government for two months. On Thursday, students from Machakos University took to the streets to demonstrate against the delay in releasing the funds.
“The Higher Education Loans Board (Helb) has finalised the processing of loans for First Year students in universities and TVETs under the new Higher Education Funding Model," Mr Machogu said in a statement on Friday.
"Consequently, the Ministry wishes to inform successful applicants that the funds will be disbursed to their respective universities and student accounts starting Tuesday November 7, 2023. Students are advised to ensure that their bank details, as provided in the application for the loans, are correct and up to date,” Mr Machogu added.
The applications closed on September 7, 2023, and students have been waiting for the funds to be released ever since. Institutions have also been without tuition fees for new students for the past two months, and have had to use money meant for other expenditures to keep students on campus.
Mr Machogu did not give further details on how the funds were allocated. He was said to be attending a cabinet meeting at State House in Mombasa.
Under the new funding model, the money will be divided into bursaries and loans based on the needs of individual students and the educational programme they are pursuing. This is a departure from the previous model where all students would automatically qualify for a bursary and only pay a tuition fee of Sh16,000 per year.
Initially, students were to be divided into four groups: vulnerable, extremely needy, needy and less needy. However, there are reports that these have been revised to include a fifth category in order to cover as many students as possible.
The scholarship and the tuition fee loan are credited directly to the student's university account. A further loan component for the student's maintenance is then credited to the student's personal account.
