Blow to VCs, workers and banks in proposed HELB law

Vice Chancellors of public and private universities will not have a say in the Higher Education Loans Board (Helb) if proposed changes in law are passed in Parliament.

Chairman of the Vice-Chancellors Committee for Public Universities and the representative of the Vice-Chancellors or Principals of the Private Universities will no longer sit on the Helb board.

The Statute Law (Miscellaneous) Amendment Bill 2018 also proposes a reduction of board representation from the current 11 to nine.

Among those proposed to be dropped are representatives of the Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE) and Bankers Association.

However, the Chief Executive Officers of the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) and Technical and Vocational Education and Training will join the board.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Universities Funding Board will also sit in the board if the new law is passed.

The new law proposed by National Assembly Leader of Majority Aden Duale further proposes that a chairperson of the board must have have a strong financial background and shall be appointed by the Cabinet Secretary.

Currently, the President appoints the chairman of the board.

The rest of the members represented in the board will remain. These are the Principal Secretary in the Ministry for higher education, the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of finance and the Chief Executive Officer of Commission for University Education.

Helb Chief Executive Officer will sit in the board as an ex-officio member.

Only one person­–with financial expertise– will be appointed by the Cabinet Secretary. Currently, the law allows the Cabinet Secretary to appoint two persons.