HELB should get its act together, let students know if they will get funds this academic year

Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) logo. [File, Standard]

If one says that Kenyans love whining for particularly no reason, they might be considered insane since people do not like being told the truth about themselves.

Yes, Kenyans love complaining, but there is always a reason, no matter how small. Many a time, the complaints are because of what the government did, or did not do.

Complaining and getting angry have become our culture as Kenyans, and the government keeps doing its bit to ensure that Kenyans are in a constant state of anger by not delivering on its promises.

It might be hard to point out one instance where the government delivered on all its promises, especially when it comes to disbursement of loans to students in universities and tertiary institutions.

Every year, the Higher Education Loans Board waxes lyrical how the system has been streamlined and that none of the students who applied for the money, and got their applications approved, will miss out.

But every year, there are tens of thousands of students who do not receive any monies from the loans board, and their parents have to beg, borrow or steal to ensure that they do not drop out of college.

While there are parents who can look for ways and means, there are many who solely rely on Helb, and when it fails to disburse the monies as promised, their children drop out university or defer their studies until such a time that funds are available.

There are students who are in Third Year whose applications were approved when they were in First Year, yet they have received the monies only once, and the board did not give an explanation.

For the past several weeks, students have been complaining that the board has delayed in disbursing the funds, and they have received no explanation from the board, yet this is not free money as they will pay it back.

It is not only unfair, but immoral to keep students guessing, and Helb needs to get its act together and let them know their fate before it is too late.