NAIROBI, Kenya – The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) has announced that first- and second-year university students will receive loans under the old financing model as the agency awaits the outcome of an appeal challenging a High Court ruling that suspended the new framework.
The decision follows widespread student protests on Monday, with University of Nairobi (UoN) students storming HELB headquarters in Nairobi, demanding the immediate release of their funds.
Tensions flared when students were initially locked out of the Anniversary Towers, where HELB offices are located.
Police were called in to manage the situation, eventually allowing a group of student leaders inside to present their grievances.
The protests were triggered by delays in bursary and loan disbursements, leaving many students struggling to afford basic needs.
UoN students were joined by counterparts from Kenyatta University and Egerton University, all calling for urgent intervention.
HELB officials attributed the delays to a December 20 High Court ruling that declared the new university funding model unconstitutional, effectively halting its implementation.
“The court decision forced us to revert to the old system until the legal matter is resolved,” said HELB’s lending manager, King’ori Ndegwa.
Under increasing pressure, the agency confirmed that first- and second-year students will now be financed under the Differentiated Unit Cost (DUC) model, the same one currently used for third- and fourth-year students.
Despite this commitment, the situation remains precarious. Ndegwa revealed that while HELB has disbursed Ksh.3.1 billion, approximately 180,000 students are still waiting for their loans.
