NAIROBI, Kenya – The Ministry of Education has released Sh9.46 billion through the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) to support more than 309,000 university students across the country.
Education Cabinet Secretary Migos Ogamba said in a statement Tuesday that Sh5.76 billion will cater for tuition fees, while the remaining Sh3.7 billion will go towards student upkeep.
“We are pleased to notify parents, guardians and university students that HELB has, as of today, disbursed a total of Sh9.46 billion in financial support to 309,178 university students,” said Ogamba.
The CS urged students to log into their HELB portals to confirm receipt of the funds and access details of their loan accounts.
Ogamba reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring higher education remains accessible and affordable.
“The government will continue to provide the requisite funding to guarantee that no learner is locked out of university education due to financial constraints,” he said.
The disbursement comes after the government raised HELB’s annual allocation by Sh5 billion—up from Sh36 billion to Sh41 billion.
The increase, announced by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, is aimed at widening access to loans and bursaries.
Kindiki also noted that the administration had slashed university fees and expanded support to Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions, as part of broader reforms to equip students with industry-ready skills.