Helb chief Charles Ringera wants bursaries repaid

Charles Ringera

NAIROBI, KENYA: Higher Education Loans Board (Helb) has proposed that all bursary programmes offered by various bodies be coordinated and converted into a revolving fund to benefit many students.

Helb chief executive officer Charles Ringera said thousands of needy students were missing out on bursary because the funds were not well coordinated.

He also said it is not strategic to give away scholarships to students and fail to recover the same after the students are done with studies.

“The essence of bursaries is to empower the needy students get access to education. But once they do that and get jobs, they should repay that money so that many other students can benefit,” he said.

Ringera said the bursary concept must be looked at afresh because many students were dropping out of school due to lack of money.

“The issue is access to education, and thousands more need to access education. So once those who get bursaries complete studies, they should be asked to repay the money so that others can also access education,” said Ringera. The whole point is to make these funds revolving, he added.

Ringera spoke yesterday at a meeting with Mount Kenya University chairman Simon Gicharu. He challenged universities to give Helb the responsibility of administering their scholarship funds.

ONE POT

“Once you mandate us to administer the scholarships, we shall use the best criteria and also enable the beneficiaries pay back to make it a revolving fund that benefits many more students,” he said.

Gicharu said the Sh40 million MKU scholarship fund will be run by Helb. “From us, be assured that we are ready to make you manage our scholarship fund and based on criteria we shall give,” said Gicharu.

President’s adviser on education Kilemi Mwiria said the education task force has proposed streamlining of all bursaries and scholarships.

“There is a lot of duplication. Private institutions run bursaries, the Government does, banks and county governments. We must put all these in one pot,” he said.

A total of Sh1.2 billion was awarded to students in 2013/2014 Financial Year up from Sh800 million in 2011/2012.

A new education report lists the United Nations Children Education Fund, Jomo Kenyatta Foundation, banks, private companies, individuals, international non-governmental organisations and faith-based organisations as some of the agencies offering bursaries to learners.

Ringera said some students get more cash leaving others with nothing. “One gets CDF bursary, gets Helb and also gets from a bank. With coordination, these institutions can only give what is adequate,” said Ringera.

He announced that starting next year, students’ money shall only be accessed through smart cards.