Embakasi East Member of Parliament Babu Owino has vowed to push for the transformation of Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) loans into grants, arguing that students should not be burdened with debt after completing their studies.
Taking to his official social media accounts on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, Babu Owino stated that he would fight for this cause just as he had opposed the new university funding model.
“We have successfully fought the New University Funding Model, and HELB is back. We will always win. The next fight is for HELB to be a grant, not a loan, and for us to have free secondary education. SHI SHAH must also be done away with. We must have our country back,” Babu Owino said.
The lawmaker further stated that secondary education should also be offered at no cost to ease the financial burden on parents and students.
Additionally, he called for the abolishment of the Taifa Care program under the Social Health Authority (SHA), arguing that it was ineffective and burdensome to Kenyans.
Babu Owino’s remarks came a day after HELB announced that first- and second-year university students would now receive funds under the old funding model while awaiting the outcome of an appeal challenging the High Court’s suspension of the new framework.
The announcement followed student protests at various universities on Monday, with University of Nairobi students storming HELB’s headquarters in Nairobi to demand the immediate release of their loans.
Tensions escalated after students were locked outside the HELB offices, prompting police intervention. A delegation of student leaders was later allowed into Anniversary Towers to present their grievances.
HELB’s Lending Manager, King’ori Ndegwa, explained that the delays were caused by a High Court ruling on December 20, 2024, which declared the new university funding model illegal and unconstitutional.
“The disbursement delays stem from a court decision that halted the implementation of the new funding model, forcing HELB to temporarily revert to the old system until the legal matter is resolved,” Ndegwa stated.
