University of Nairobi. [Photo/trending.co.ke]
Many first year students have been forced to wait for school fees following a delay by the Higher Education Loans Board (Helb) to release funding.
The follows an announcement by Helb chief executive Charles Ringera that first years will have to wait longer for the loans to be distributed after many students failed to complete loan application forms.
Treasury Secretary Henry Rotich has criticized the Higher Education ministry officials for their failure to come up with a concrete plan for student loans.
“We have been telling them to draw a cash plan covering the whole financial year based on a growing student population instead of making requests every other month when they run out of cash,” Rotich said.
The board has been known to have ask the Treasury for the necessary funding at the last minute.
According to the Secretary, the constant lack of student loans goes against the governments policy to prioritize education.
He added that the education ministry is yet to request for Helb funding and as a result loans may delay even longer.
“They have not made a formal request through the IFMIS [the Integrated Financial Management Information System],” he said.