HELB Reverts to Old Funding Model (Differentiated Unit Cost).
The Higher Education Loans Board (Helb) has announced it will continue funding first and second-year university students under the old differentiated unit cost (DUC) model.
This decision comes as the board awaits the outcome of an appeal challenging the High Court’s suspension of the new funding framework. The affected groups will now be funded similarly to their third and fourth-year counterparts, who are financed under the same model.
The government introduced a new university funding model in 2023 to address the escalating costs of higher education. However, the approach quickly became controversial, with stakeholders raising concerns about its fairness and impact on students.
A coalition comprising the Kenya Human Rights Commission, the Elimu Bora Working Group, the Students Caucus, and Boaz Waruku filed a petition challenging the model’s legality. They argued that it lacked public participation and violated constitutional provisions.
On December 20, 2024, the High Court declared the new funding model unconstitutional, citing discrimination and inadequate provision for students’ needs.
The ruling prompted Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba, Attorney General Dorcas Oduor, Helb, and Trustees of the Universities Fund to file an appeal seeking to overturn the court’s decision. The case is yet to be heard.
Students Protest Delays in Funding
The Helb announcement followed protests by students from the University of Nairobi and Kenyatta University. A group of students stormed Helb’s headquarters at Anniversary Towers in Nairobi, demanding the immediate disbursement of their funding.
They claimed that the delays had severely impacted first and second-year students, leaving many unable to remain on campus.
In response, Helb Lending Manager King’ori Ndegwa addressed the concerns, noting that Sh3.1 billion had already been released. He added that only about 180,000 students were yet to receive their allocations, assuring them that efforts were ongoing to resolve the delays.
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Meanwhile, at the Technical University of Kenya (TUK), exams scheduled for Monday morning were disrupted as striking staff refused to administer tests.
The lecturers are demanding payment of salary arrears dating back to December 2024. TUK students joined the staff in demonstrations, urging the Ministry of Education to address the funding shortfall and ensure the lecturers receive their dues.
HELB Reverts to Old Funding Model (Differentiated Unit Cost).
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