The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) has announced the initiation of the disbursement of tuition loans to Universities and Technical Vocational Educational and Training (TVET) institutions.
Through a press statement released on Wednesday, 4th October, the Board announced that it has started the disbursement of the tuition loans effective today.
This move by the loans’ board comes in response to the recent uproar among university students due to the delay, which led to strikes in some universities.
“Under the Old Higher Education Funding Model (OFM), upkeep loans for over 175,000 undergraduate students and more than 70,000 continuing TVET students are currently being disbursed,” announced the Board.
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The board also clarified that the disbursement would occur through students’ preferred payment channels, which include bank accounts or the HELB Mobile Wallet.
Further, the Higher Learning Institutions (HLIS), including universities and colleges, have been advised to facilitate students’ registration.
This comes as tuition fees for various institutions have also been released and are expected to be reflected in the respective bank accounts of the HLIS by the 5th of October 2023.
First Time HELB Applications
On the other hand, an extension has been granted for first-time students applying for funding under the New Higher Education Funding Model (NFM) for both loans and scholarships,
The new deadline for application is October 7, 2023, as per the directive of the Ministry of Education Cabinet Secretary, Ezekiel Machogu early September 2023.
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Following the deadline extension, the processing and disbursement of loans and scholarships, covering both tuition and upkeep, will follow shortly after the 7th of October 2023.
Moreover, Charles Ringera, the Chief Executive Officer of HELB, made this announcement, underscoring the Board’s commitment to addressing the concerns of students and ensuring the timely disbursement of funds to facilitate their education.
Further, the board added, “HELB’s prompt action aims to alleviate the challenges faced by students and ensure a smooth academic year for all beneficiaries.”
