Kirinyaga Woman Representative Njeri Maina has requested a statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Education over the delay in the disbursement of Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) funds caused by the ongoing funding crisis which has affected students in institutions of higher learning across the country.
Njeri in a letter dated February 13 addressed to National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula called on the Departmental Committee on Education to provide clarity through a statement on the ongoing funding crisis amid complaints from students nationwide who claim to be cash-strapped.
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She highlighted a December 20, 2024, ruling by the High Court that declared the new higher education funding model unconstitutional and issued an order of prohibition that barred implementation of the model until the government complied with the Constitution and necessary legal requirements.
“Thereafter, the Ministry of Education undertook to introduce a new tertiary institution funding model to address the matter. This is expected to be implemented later in the year,” said Njeri Maina.
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The MP in the letter noted that despite the government commitment to reverting to the old funding model, there has been an apparent lack of commitment to timely disbursement of funds to students.
Also Read: Govt Sets Maximum HELB Loan for University Students
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Maina highlighted that thousands of students continuing with their studies face financial distress as they are unable to pay tuition fees, which has left them locked out of examinations.
Njeri Maina Issues Demands After HELB Disbursement Delays
According to her, this has triggered unrest in universities across the country, with students staging protests and, in other cases, lecturers boycotting examinations.
“This contravenes the provisions of Article 43(1) of the Constitution which guarantee the right of every person to education,” Njeri highlighted.
MP Njeri in the letter went on to issue three demands while requesting for a Statement from the Departmental Committee on Education Chairperson.
She demanded a clarification on the total amount of funds disbursed by the National Treasury under the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) model, including specific dates of these disbursements.
Also, the legislator wants the chairperson to disclose the total number of students who have benefitted from the disbursed funds since November 2024; and the measures put in place to ensure timely disbursement of funds to prevent fur disruptions in learning.
Njeri Maina issued the demands after the Ministry of Education early February announced that the release of Ksh3.32 billion for First- and Second-Year university students for the 2024/25 academic year.
Also Read: Why Select University Students Have Not Received HELB Cash
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.”
Funds disbursed after students stage protests
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.
The disbursement notably came days after students in several universities across the country staged protests.
University of Nairobi (UoN) students had stormed HELB offices 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.
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