Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu has announced the dates when 2023 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) students are expected to start applying for loans from the government.
Machogu made the announcement in a statement on Friday, June 7, 2024, while ordering the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) and the Universities Fund (UF) to open the funding portal on June 15.
The CS issued the order to allow eligible students to make their applications, with the application results expected from July 31.
“I direct the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) and the Universities Fund (UF) to open the Higher Education Funding portal on June 15, 2024, to allow the eligible students to apply for funding,” ordered Machogu.
“I wish to notify all parents, guardians and students that results of the funding application process will be released from July 31, 2024.”
CS Machogu further highlighted that all first-year students will report to their respective universities based on their admission letters and joining instructions as advised.
Also Read: HELB Application Process for First Time Applicants, Requirements & Cost
According to the minister, universities shall notify all their respective first year students of the amount to be paid by their parents/guardians (household) upon the release of the funding applications results.
Machogu on University Funding
At the same time, Machogu directed that universities and funding agencies should immediately embark on sensitization of students, parents and stakeholders on the Student-Centered Funding Model.
The model which was implemented for first-year students who joined universities and TVETs in September 2023 has seen significant engagement from students.
A total of 112,741 university students and 151,933 TVET learners applied for scholarships and loans from the Universities Fund and HELB respectively as of May 2024, according to Machogu.
Also Read: Inside the Ksh5 trillion Education Plan Launched by Machogu
“A total of Ksh24.76 billion was disbursed to scholarships and loans for universities students, while Ksh11.3 billion went to TVET trainees,” he added.
“For the first time since the government adopted the cost sharing policy in higher education, 100 percent of the 2023 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination applicants received financial support to pursue their programme of choice in our universities and TVET institutions.”
Likewise, Machogu clarified the funding process noting that each degree program will be funded through three components: loans, scholarships, and parents/guardians (household) contribution.
The allocation for each component on its part will be based on the assessed level of need of each applicant.
However, the second cohort of students joining universities will receive financial support under the student-centered funding model
New Funding Model
Machogu’s remarks come after the introduction of the new funding model for university and TVET students in Kenya.
The introduction came following nationwide consultations conducted by the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms.
One of the notable changes introduced under the student-centered funding model was the delinking of the placement process of first year students to universities.
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