President William Ruto has announced that students who rely on government funding through the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) will receive all their outstanding allocations by the end of this week.
While speaking during his working tour of Nairobi County at PC Kinyanjui TTI in Dagoreti South on Wednesday, March 12, Ruto said that students will receive disbursement of their HELB money in their accounts by Friday, March 14.
“Today, the Head of Public Service is handling the matter, and I have instructed them to ensure that the money is released on students’ accounts by Friday so that everyone can have their resources,” Ruto announced.
“If that money has not been reflected in your accounts by Friday, you can reach out to me. There are people I will have to hold responsible for the same.”
Ruto Announces Dates for HELB Disbursement
Ruto recognized that there have been some challenges with HELB, especially with the board, which has led to delays in the disbursement of funds.
Also Read:UDA MP Issues Demands Over HELB Crisis Affecting University Students
He also mentioned that he held a meeting with Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba to address the situation and ensure that students do not continue to suffer.
“There has been a problem with HELB. Yesterday, I had a meeting with the CS in charge to address the challenges that had been affecting the system,” Ruto added.
This comes after in February this year, students from the University of Nairobi and Egerton University stormed HELB’s headquarters at Anniversary Towers in Nairobi, protesting delays in loan disbursements while students from Kenyatta University blocked a section of Thika Road for hours causing a major traffic disruption.
Following the protests, HELB announced that first and second-year university students would continue receiving funds under the previous funding model.
The board further attributed the disbursement delays to a court ruling that halted the implementation of the new university funding model.
Also Read: HELB Opens Loan Applications for Salaried Students; How to Apply
CS Ogamba on HELB
Education CS Julius Ogamba in a statement dated Tuesday, February 4, said the funds disbursed through HELB will see students receiving loans of between Ksh40,000 and Ksh60,000.
“The Government disbursed a total of Ksh3.32 billion by 31st January 2025, for First- and Second-Year students during the 2024/2025 Academic Year,” read the statement in part.
“The disbursements, made through the Higher Education Loans Board, cover students’ upkeep. The upkeep loans, which are a critical component for fostering student welfare, range from Ksh40,000 to Ksh60,000 per student.”
CS Ogamba, at the same time, noted that the disbursed funds are part of the funds that had already been appropriated in July 2024, in the context of the current Financial Year’s budgetary and appropriation framework.
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