University students in street protests over Helb cash

Thousands of students are starving in universities because the Higher Education Loans Board (Helb) is yet to disburse funds for their upkeep. 

The state is holding on to some Sh6 billion in student loans—Sh3.7 billion for university students and Sh2.3 billion for those in Technical and Vocational Education Training (Tvet).

To make ends meet, some students have turned to hawking and other small businesses to fund their stay in campus. However, others who are broke are going without meals, forcing them to skip lectures.

Others did not report to campuses when universities reopened last November. The situation is dire for government sponsored students in both public and private universities.

The Helb funds meant for the semester beginning September last year were supposed to have been disbursed to students by end of January.

Street protests

Universities resumed physical learning last November and extended the semester to end of February. Most universities have resumed the second semester this month while others are set to reopen in two weeks.

Yesterday, Moi University medical students protested in the streets of Eldoret.

“Most university students are not able to afford meals. We want the government to come to our rescue and release the Helb loans immediately,” said Brain Mwendwa, one of the students.

At Moi University’s main campus in Kesses, some students complained that the ban on cooking in hostels had made life harder for them.

There were reports some students had fainted in class. This prompted the University’s Dean of Students to issue a memo urging students in dire need to register for the institution’s assistance.  

Going without meals

In the memo dated March 8, Dean of Students K. S Ayieko said  the administration was concerned that some students are going without meals.

“This is to request all students to send details of anyone who is starving to the dean of students through class reps and students leaders,” said Dr Ayieko.

University of Nairobi Students Association (UNSA) Secretary General Nathan Kiplangat said the funding crisis has stressed students. He said the association is supporting 1,200 students who are unable to meet their expenses.

At Jomo Kenyatta University of Science and Technology (JKUAT), students are unable to write exams as their portals cannot be opened due to fees balances.

Fees balances

Academic Registrar Dr Aggrey Wanyama sent a memo to students to clear the fees balances failure to which they won’t sit exams.

Helb chief executive officer Charles Ringera yesterday said blamed the National Treasury for the cash crisis.

“The delay is not our fault but has been occasioned by the National Treasury,” he said, adding that it was supposed to have released Sh3 billion.

Helb gives a minimum of Sh37,000 and a maximum of Sh60,000 as loans to students annually.

From the amount, Helb releases Sh4,000 per semester to the students’ university fees account while the balance is for their personal upkeep.

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