Proposal to change Helb team opposed

The Higher Education Loans Board has rejected a proposed law that seeks to change the composition of its governing organ.

The board's chairman, David Wachira, yesterday asked Education Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed, to retain the status quo.

“We can say that as we are now, the board is well represented with the necessary stakeholders and we hope that you retain it as it is,” he said.

Mr Wachira was referring to the Statute Law (Miscellaneous) Amendment Bill 2018, which proposes to remove vice-chancellors of public and private universities from the board.

Also to be dropped are representatives of the Federation of Kenya Employers and the Bankers Association in changes that propose a reduction of board representation from the current 11 members to nine.

New law

In addition, the new law proposes that CEOs of the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service and the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority join the board.

The CEO of the Universities Funding Board will also sit in the board if the new law is passed. 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 CEO of the Commission for University Education.

The new law, proposed by National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale, also seeks to require that the board chairperson have a strong financial background and be appointed by the Cabinet secretary.

Duale also wants a three-year term limit for board members, down from five. The Helb CEO will also serve a term of four years subject to renewal on good performance. Currently, the law provides that the CEO serve for six years.