The Principal Secretary for Higher Education, Mr. Fredrick Ndambuki, has assured that the government will take the necessary steps to ensure that the funds disbursed by the Higher Education’s Loans Board (HELB) reach the learners on time.
Ndambuki, who spoke during the graduation ceremony at Uzima University in Kisumu on behalf of Education CS Ezekiel Machogu, regretted that there have been delays in the disbursement of such funds but assured that the process of the disbursement has been streamlined.
“I want to mention that the delay in the disbursement of funds has been sorted out and is now on course, and before long all the learners will receive their monies,” assured Ndambuki.
The PS indicated that the government has made adequate arrangements to ensure that outstanding debts in various learning institutions that have jeopardised the smooth operations of the institutions are settled.
“We are also trying to see how best we can be able to deal with issues of pending bills for universities, and I know the respective vice chancellors are in a meeting in our office and planning to do all possible to clear the pending bills,” noted Ndambuki.
Kisumu Governor Prof. Anyang’ Nyong’o decried the tedious process in accessing HELB, which has kept off many parents and learners, and called for a sensitization programme for the would-be beneficiaries on how to undertake the process.
“The new funding model has also confused students and parents, as some of them are yet to know how to apply for the funds. To tackle this problem, there is a need for sensitization to help disseminate information to students on the new funding model,” Nyong’o said.
By Milton Onyango
