Embakasi East Member of Parliament Paul Ogili alias Babu Owino is among the leaders who have come out to criticize President William Ruto over his plans to scrap off funding under the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB).
“Ruto HELB wachana nayo Kabisa. Comrades are poor &ONLY Education will save them from the Yoke of poverty for we live in an hour of change & challenge, decade of hope & fear, in an age of both knowledge and ignorance. The greater our knowledge increases the greater our ignorance unfolds,” he tweeted.
https://twitter.com/HEBabuOwino/status/1610334002648432644?s=20&t=sz43n7xI8sg67TrtFvU2MQ
Likewise, Ugunja Member of Parliament Opiyo Wandayi also noted his disapproval of the plan by the head of state to scrap HELB.
Wandayi through a tweet on Tuesday, January 3, 2023, wondered what would become of the university students from poor backgrounds as they are expected to report back to school for a new semester.
Furthermore, Wandayi has also noted that Azimio Coalition reminds President Ruto that High School parents won’t accept anything less than a return to school fees subsidy, a disbursement to HELB to facilitate student loans.
As President responds to our concerns raised on 31 Dec, Azimio Coalition reminds him that High School parents won't accept anything less than a return to school fees subsidy, a disbursement to HELB to facilitate students loans, & that all trained teachers be absorbed this January pic.twitter.com/I3VSTxeO1T
— Hon. Opiyo Wandayi, EGH (@OpiyoWandayi) January 4, 2023
Moreover, in the plan to scrap HELB, the government may be understood to be introducing a new funding system to replace the Higher Education Loans Board.
On January 1, 2023, President William Ruto said there will be changes in the high education sector, including the formation of the National Skill and Funding Council.
“The government will establish the NSFC that amalgamates HELB, TVET, and University Funding Board,” Ruto noted while speaking during his end year address in Mombasa.
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According to the head of state, the move is aimed at bridging the current higher education funding gap of up to 45 per cent.
In addition, President Ruto noted that this plan will double the current HELB funding from Ksh11 billion to Ksh22 billion and even eliminate HELB loan interests.
“We know many universities are facing numerous challenges and significant debts as a result of the programme’s length,” he added.
