NAIROBI, Kenya – Universities have been directed to urgently update student portals with accurate fee information to avert confusion as the new semester kicks off, amid widespread complaints over delays in Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) disbursements.
The order comes after students at the University of Nairobi (UoN) reported being billed up to Sh50,000 on their portals ahead of registration, sparking protests from learners already struggling to settle tuition and upkeep charges.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba acknowledged the discrepancies, attributing the UoN issue to delays in uploading data ahead of reopening on August 18.
He said universities must ensure individual student details reflect the reduced charges approved by government.
“As a result of the delayed data update, actual figures could not be uploaded over the weekend. Universities have now been directed to correct all entries to ensure each student’s portal reflects the proper fee structure,” Ogamba said on Wednesday during the licensing of Consolata International University by the Commission for University Education (CUE).
Ogamba added that a team has been dispatched to UoN and other public universities to assist students in logging in and confirming corrections. Institutions are reopening in phases between now and October.
The directive comes against the backdrop of growing discontent among learners, with many claiming they have not received HELB allocations despite a Sh9.46 billion release by the Ministry of Education on Tuesday.
Of the funds, Sh5.76 billion was allocated to tuition and Sh3.7 billion to upkeep for 309,178 students across the country.
However, more than half of applicants are yet to see the money reflected in their accounts.
Ogamba clarified that HELB funds are being disbursed in phases, with some students—especially those whose semesters begin in October—expected to wait longer before allocations appear.
The government recently reduced semester fees by between 15 and 40 per cent, lowering charges to between Sh5,814 and Sh75,000 depending on the programme.
The cut, which takes effect September 1, will benefit 201,695 first-year students and over 257,000 TVET trainees.
