- The Elimu Bora Working Group has demanded the immediate release of HELB and Universities Fund grants to support first-year students already registered for the 2026 academic year.
- The group warned that funding delays have left thousands of learners stranded and are pushing families toward informal borrowing.
- The group has called on Parliament to legislate a guaranteed funding right rather than rely on government promises, while urging urgent interim support for students and institutions.
First-year university students are entering the new academic year facing uncertainty over financial support, with the Elimu Bora Working Group demanding the immediate release of funds to learners who have completed registration under the existing higher education financing system.
The group is calling on the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) and the Universities Fund to move quickly to disburse money to eligible students, rather than leave them waiting as Parliament considers sweeping changes to the way higher education will be financed. “First things first, let HELB and University Fund be given their grants so that they immediately disburse resources to those who have registered,” the group said.
The intervention comes as thousands of first-year students settle into universities while uncertainty persists over the proposed Tertiary Education, Placement and Funding Bill, 2026. The proposed legislation seeks to introduce a new framework for financing students in universities and other tertiary institutions, and is expected to fundamentally change how government support for higher education is administered once it becomes law. However, the proposed system is not yet operational.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has said September first-year students would initially be admitted and financed under the existing model, since the new framework cannot take effect before Parliament approves the legislation and it becomes operational. This position has created a transition challenge: students are entering institutions under current financing arrangements while the government prepares to shift them into a new system. Elimu Bora wants that transition managed without leaving students financially stranded.
The group is calling for the government to provide HELB and the Universities Fund with the grants required to meet their immediate obligations and facilitate disbursement to eligible students. It is also proposing temporary financial assistance for students as the government works through the legislative and administrative changes associated with the new funding framework. The concern goes beyond tuition: students beginning university face immediate costs for accommodation, food, books, learning materials, transport and other basic requirements, and for those from financially constrained households, delays in accessing expected support can make the start of university particularly difficult.
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The proposed financing framework is intended eventually to cover learners across universities, the Kenya Medical Training College, technical and vocational education and training institutions, and teacher training colleges, with students receiving support for tuition and upkeep and repayment expected after they secure employment. But until Parliament completes consideration of the legislation and the new system becomes legally operational, students remain dependent on the existing financing arrangements, making the immediate release of funds particularly important.
Addressing the media on Sunday, Policy Advisor at Elimu Bora Working Group, Boaz Waruku, said thousands of learners remain stranded at home or in institutions without confirmed funding, despite earlier government commitments to support their education. He said some families had abandoned plans to organise harambees to raise fees after relying on the government’s funding promise, only to be left struggling when the expected disbursement failed to materialise. He warned that learners from poor households should not be pushed into debt because of a government commitment that has not yet been fulfilled. “We want parliament to legislate the right, not the promise. Right now we are rushing to ensure that the promise by the president bears fruit, but we need to work towards the right, not the promise,” Waruku said.
He said a memorandum had already been submitted to Parliament seeking proposed changes to the law governing higher education financing. “We are embracing the aspect of bringing the Tertiary Education Placement and Funding Bill, because it starts by emphasising universal placement. The principle of universal funding, to say full government funding, that we have embraced. But the mechanism of actualising these principles is what is lacking, and our memorandum to parliament is on what should be done,” he said.
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Waruku called for the government to clearly state its position on students affected by the September intake and provide a clear plan to address their funding and placement challenges. For students who have already secured placement and are attending their institutions, he called for HELB and the University Fund to receive their allocations immediately, saying the move would enable the two agencies to release interim funding to students affected by the delays as the wider funding challenges are addressed.
For learners who remain at home while waiting for placement, Waruku proposed that the Ministry of Interior coordinate a mop-up exercise to help them travel to their designated institutions, after which they would be able to access the interim funding once it is released. He also raised concern about the impact of the funding delays on universities and colleges, questioning how administrators are expected to keep their institutions running without government disbursements, and called for funds to be released to the institutions to support their operations during the funding crisis. Waruku further appealed to Members of Parliament to treat the matter with urgency and help address the challenges facing students, families and learning institutions.
By Hillary Muhalya
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