Helb releases Sh1.8bn to avert university strike

What you need to know:

Helb released Sh1.8 billion Thursday to university students to avert a looming strike.
However, the more than 56,938 government-sponsored first year students who started reporting last month will have to wait until November to get loans.
Mr Ringera said Helb has forwarded a list of successful loan applicants to various universities to facilitate registration.

The Higher Education Loans Board (Helb) released Sh1.8 billion Thursday to university students to avert a looming strike.

Helb chief executive Charles Ringera said the students will be able to access the money starting Friday.

However, the more than 56,938 government-sponsored first year students who started reporting last month will have to wait until November to get loans.

READ: Varsities crisis as freshers report without Helb loans

University students had threatened to go on strike on Friday over delays in release of Helb loans and further act within two weeks if the amount disbursed is not retained at last year’s level.

Students say Helb has cut allocations by as much as 50 per cent compared to the amount they received last year.

Mr Ringera said Helb has forwarded a list of successful loan applicants to various universities to facilitate registration.

“Students depending on the Helb loan should not be worried as the board is working closely with the universities to ensure that they are not inconvenienced,” he said.

Universities anticipating a crisis have issued stern notices directing students to pay fees in full before registering for courses, attending lectures or taking up accommodation in campus hostels.

Freshers at State-owned universities pay about Sh30,000 in the first year for tuition, medical, registration, activity and computer lab fees. However, the amount does not include meals, housing and personal upkeep.

Treasury secretary Henry Rotich allocated Helb Sh4 billion in this year’s budget and the board recovered Sh3.3 billion last year, against a demand of Sh14.3 billion it says it needs to loan to more students.

This year’s admission to public universities saw a 7.4 per cent growth in enrolment from the 53,010 students offered places last year.

Helb plans to offer loans to more than 60,000 freshers and about 15,000 new students admitted to technical and vocational education and training institutions.

READ: Funding crisis as nearly 60,000 join public universities

Meanwhile, the parliamentary committee on education, science and technology is working on a formula to be used in allocation of funds to public universities to ensure equality.

The chairman of the sub-committee on university education, Dr Wilbur Otichilo said that the current system was encouraging inequality.