NAIROBI, Kenya — Senators have proposed expanding the funding framework of the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) to include students in teacher training colleges (TTCs), citing long-standing gaps that exclude thousands of learners from government financial support.
The proposal, tabled in the Senate by Murang’a Senator Joe Nyutu, calls on the Ministry of Education, HELB, and the Universities Fund to formally integrate TTC students into the New Higher Education Funding (NHEF) model.
Nyutu argued that the current system undermines equity by focusing largely on university and TVET students, leaving diploma and certificate-level teacher trainees without structured financial assistance.
“It is concerning that students enrolled in public teacher training colleges are excluded from the higher education financing framework, limiting their access to government support,” he said.
Introduced in 2023, the NHEF model restructured higher education financing but has faced criticism for uneven coverage across learning institutions. Lawmakers now want clear regulations to define eligibility for TTC students, including support for tuition, accommodation, and upkeep.
Nyutu warned that the exclusion could undermine implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), which requires a well-trained and adequately supported teaching workforce.
Nyeri Senator Wahome Wamatinga backed the proposal, stressing the need to equip teachers with modern skills to meet evolving education demands, while Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna called for equal treatment of all higher education students.
Sifuna argued that access to funding should not be skewed in favour of university students, noting that learners in teacher training and medical colleges also require support. He cited his own experience benefiting from HELB while studying law at the University of Nairobi, where he was able to clear his loan shortly after graduation.
However, he raised concerns about the sustainability of the current loan system, pointing to reports that over 500,000 graduates are struggling to repay HELB loans due to limited employment opportunities.
“We are graduating people, but there are no opportunities for them to exercise their skills or get jobs in accordance with what they studied,” Sifuna said, emphasising the mismatch between education outcomes and the labour market.
Tana River Senator Danson Mungatana urged caution, noting that education already consumes about 28pc of the national budget and that any expansion must be carefully planned to ensure sustainability.
