Helb CEO Charles Ringera says delays to disburse loans was due to non-payment of loans by previous beneficiaries, amounting to Sh8 billion. PHOTO | FILE
What you need to know:
The delays have angered students and some of their leaders had vowed to stage a protest on Monday but called if off at the last minute.
The Higher Education Loans Board has defended itself against blame for delaying release of study loans to students.
Helb's chief executive officer Charles Ringera said delays were due to non-payment of loans by previous beneficiaries, amounting to Sh8 billion.
The board is unable to service the high number of applications from new students due to the debts, he said.
“It’s ridiculous to find some parent accusing us of not funding their child whereas they are yet to remit the loan they received from the board," he said.
"Kenyans need to be responsible. We also have other projects to run other than education,” he added.
The delays have angered students and some of their leaders had vowed to stage a protest on Monday but called if off at the last minute.
Out of the 154,000 students they had given loans last year, Mr Ringera said, 30,000 graduated but a whopping 110,000 freshmen applied for loans in the same period.
“Out of the 110,000 first-time applicants, 65,000 qualified for loans but not all will benefit in one phase. With such an increase, no one can say we failed to plan. We have been sitting in meetings but the number is far beyond our capacity,” he said.
However, he said they had begun disbursing funds to students who qualified on Monday morning, and that recipients were being advised to check their accounts.
Helb's defence came as First Year students who have been waiting for loans for the last five months remained hopeful of receiving positive communication from the board.
Ms Joyvee Tesot, a student at Multimedia University, said she and her four colleagues had run out of money to buy food.
“The situation is really traumatising as almost the entire First Year lot is broke. Many had placed their hope in Helb but they are disappointed,” she said.
Deferring studies
She said many of her colleagues had applied for work study programmes as others hunt for part-time jobs to survive.
In Maseno University, Nelson Okinda said he was contemplating deferring his studies if Helb does not come to his aid.
He accused the board of failing to plan well, and government for refusing to increase Helb's budget to cater for the ballooning student population in need of loans.
“First Years barely know the side hassle to engage in to earn extra money. Rendering them the sacrificial lambs for Helb’s poor planning should have been the last option,” said the Nyakach resident.
Mr Dalton Nyabundi, also of Maseno University, said the delays in disbursement of the loan had denied many First Years chances of getting accommodation on campus because the rooms are few.
“The continuing students got their money late and the First Years may not even get it seemingly,” he said.
PAYE Tax Calculator
Note: The results are not exact but very close to the actual.
