The Ministry of Education confirmed the disbursement of Ksh3.2 billion to facilitate the upkeep of first-year and second-year university students under the 2024/2025 academic year.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba announced on Tuesday evening, a day after the university students held demonstrations demanding the immediate release of the funds, that the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) had released the funds.
In a notice obtained by Kenyans.co.ke, Ogamba indicated that the money was disbursed to students’ accounts with each beneficiary set to receive between Ksh40,000 and Ksh60,000.
“The Government disbursed a total of Ksh3.32 billion by January 31, 2025, for first and second year students during the 2024/2025 Academic Year. The disbursements through the Higher Education Loans Board cover students’ upkeep,” Ogamba announced.
University students during a lecture from the Kenya Defence Forces
Photo
KDF
The CS further revealed that the disbursed funds were part of the funds already appropriated in July 2024, in the context of the current Financial Year’s budgetary and appropriation framework.
The disbursement comes hardly two days after students stormed HELB offices at the Anniversary Towers in Nairobi demanding the release of the capitation.
Expressing frustration over the prolonged delay of the capitation, the angry learners overpowered the security guards and attempted to force entry into the HELB offices.
Police quickly responded to disperse the protesting students and restrict access to the premises, preventing potential disruptions in the Central Business District (CBD).
Another group of students from Kenyatta University reportedly blocked a section of Thika Road for hours, disrupting traffic flow along the busy highway and eventually forcing motorists to seek alternative routes.
HELB’s lending manager King’ori Ndegwa was forced to intervene and addressed the students’ plights, stating that the delay had been occasioned by an ongoing case at the High Court.
He noted that HELB would release the money before the end of the week, stating that the funds would be disbursed to students’ accounts using the old model.
Ndegwa also revealed that the loans board released Ksh3 billion before the end of the week. However, he noted that only 180,000 students had been affected by the recent delays.
A section of Thika Road blocked by protesting University students on Monday, February 3, 2025.
Photo
@WachirakiiNyaga