Address concerns about long student loan delays

The Treasury has attributed an additional allocation of Sh33.4 billion to the departments of higher education and research and vocational and technical training in the latest supplementary budget to shortfalls in student financing under the new funding model.

Under the new funding model rolled out this year, students in public universities and vocational and technical training colleges are to receive government loans or scholarships or have their parents or guardians pay according to how needy they are or their ability to pay.

While the additional allocations for student loans and scholarships are welcome, it is just as important that the Treasury addresses concerns about late disbursements.

Recent media reports indicated that many students who reported to the public universities and mid-level colleges for the first year of their academic programmes in May haven’t received their loans.

TV footage captured the sad story of needy students struggling to pay for their upkeep and accommodation.

To say that those conditions are not suitable for learning is an understatement. Granted, the current chaos partly has its roots in a directive by the Education Cabinet Secretary requiring the universities and colleges to admit the new students regardless of whether had paid fees.

But delays in releasing Treasury funds to the students for upkeep and accommodation have made the situation much worse. 

Even as it allocates additional money for loans and scholarships in the new mini-budget, the Treasury should ensure it reaches the needy students in time.