HELB CEO explains that some students receive their funds late because of incorrect account details.

HELB CEO Reveals Delays in Student Fund Disbursements Due to Incorrect Account Details

by Timothy Cerullo on Thursday, 20 March 2025 – 1:24 pm

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB), Geoffrey Monari, has revealed that some students experience delays in receiving their funds due to incorrect account details.

During his appearance before the National Assembly Education Committee on Thursday morning, Monari explained that many students, particularly those who receive their funds through mobile money, often provide incorrect phone numbers.

Monari further elaborated that some students frequently change their phone numbers, using a different one during the disbursement process from the one they used when applying for the loan.

He noted that up to 40 percent of the disbursements are returned to the loans board because of incorrect account details.

“We have made it possible for students to receive funds through mobile money, but the challenge is that some students keep changing their phone numbers,” Monari explained. “So, when they apply, they provide one number, but by the time we make the payment, they have already changed it. As a result, up to 40 percent of the disbursements come back. We have to reroute the funds when students provide the correct details,” he added.

Monari also mentioned that when HELB releases funds, it sends notifications to all students via SMS to inform them of the disbursement.

Addressing the legislators, Monari highlighted that HELB had implemented a robust communication system to ensure efficient coordination between the students and the loans board.

This update from the HELB CEO follows a recent disbursement of Ksh1.56 billion to students for tuition and upkeep. The recipients were notified through HELB’s official communication channels.

According to Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba, who spoke on Tuesday, March 18, a total of 33,863 university students benefited from the loan disbursements.

With this latest disbursement, HELB has distributed a total of Ksh32.7 billion in tuition and upkeep loans to 390,612 university students for the 2024/2025 financial year.

“The provision of this funding will ensure that the needs of students and trainees are met, enabling them to continue with their academic, training, and research programs without interruption,” Ogamba stated.