Njeri Maina Issues Demand After HELB Disbursement Delays

Kirinyaga Woman Representative Njeri Maina has issued a demand to the Departmental Committee on Education over the delay in the disbursement of Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) funds.

Speaking in the National Assembly on Tuesday, February 18,  Njeri called on the Departmental Committee on Education to provide clarity on the ongoing funding crisis amid complaints from students nationwide who claim to be cash-strapped.

“Despite the government’s undertaking to revert to the old Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) model, there has been an apparent lack of commitment to timely disbursement of funds to students,” Njeri Maina said in her submission.

The woman rep claims delayed release of funds was in contravention of Article 43(1) which guarantees every Kenyan the right to education.

The Kirinyaga Woman rep now wants a comprehensive report on the funding impasse, detailing the total amount of funds disbursed by the National Treasury under the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) model, including specific dates of these disbursements.

In addition, the Departmental Committee on Education has been challenged to reveal The total number of students who have benefitted from the disbursed funds since November 2024 and measures put in place to ensure timely disbursement of funds to prevent future disruptions in learning

On December 20, 2024, the High Court declared the new higher education funding model unconstitutional, a ruling that effectively barred the implementation of the model until the government ensured compliance with constitutional and legal requirements.

What ensued was a wave of uncertainty among university students, particularly third and fourth-year students who primarily survive on the funds for their upkeep at higher learning institutions. 

Two months later, in February, students staged protests over delays in disbursed funds,  prompting HELB to cave in and disburse funds to first and second-year students using the old model as they await a decision on appeal against the High Court.

In a bid to quell rising tensions among students, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba stated the money had been disbursed because funds had already been allocated in the 2024/25 budget.

“The government will release funding to universities based on the new university funding model even as it seeks ways to address the issues raised by the court because the money is already in the budget,” the CS said. 

Meanwhile, the Departmental Committee on Education is expected to issue a response to Maina through a comprehensive report on Tuesday, February 25.