Education CS presiding over the 29th Graduation Ceremony of Moi Teachers Training College in Baringo yesterday. Photo: Julius Ogamba X.
After weeks of uncertain on government unable to sustain higher education, leaving students from vulnerable families stranded, they now breath a sigh of relief after new announcement from the Ministry of Education on first batch of release of student loans.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has announced that Higher Educations Loans Board (HELB) for first years will be disbursed starting August 15, coinciding with reopening of universities.
“We are pleased to confirm that both HELB and Universities Fund have been facilitated by the government to disburse funds to universities and students. Indeed, the disbursement of HELB loans for first year students will begin in August 15,” Ogamba stated.
According to Ogamba, the funds will be released in phases to enable smooth running and managing students joining higher education including universities and TVETs.
Additionally, the ministry has announced an increase in HELB funding, increasing the allocation to KSh 41 billion from current KSh 36 billion. According to the Ministry KSh 13 billion of the total allocation will go to tuition, while KSh 16. 9 billion will cater for university funding scholarship to students who will qualify under the new funding model.
Ogamba said that funding is a way of government to cushion vulnerable students from accessing higher education due to financing challenges. The Ministry also confirmed that public universities have started receiving scholarship fund for Financial Year 2025/2026.
Over 275,000 continuing students will also receive funding in the new revised financing model that is set to benefit 210,695 students joining universities and 237,0000 joining TVETs.
The Ministry further confirmed that 64% and 51% of university and TVET students respectively for September intake have submitted their applications.
“As of today, 129,403 university students and 60, 979 TVET trainees have successfully submitted their scholarship and loan applications under the Student-Centred Funding Model (SCFM),” further read the statement.
The Ministry also confirmed that scholarship applications are ongoing for candidates who sat for the 2024 KCSE and secured placements through KUCCPS.
In July, HELB CEO Geoffrey Monari, confirmed that the Board doesn’t have money to issue to new students set to join universities in September.
Monari said that the students received only upkeep money and not tuition, with a dire situation looming, as the second semester the students did not receive any allocation.
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