The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) on Wednesday dismissed speculation that it had temporarily halted the disbursement of funds to students.
In a statement, the organisation urged members of the public to be vigilant to avoid falling victim to misinformation and fraudsters.
"Beware of misinformation, disinformation and innuendo. Stay vigilant, verify sources, and let us share responsibly," read part of the statement.
HELB flagged a letter doing rounds on social media purportedly signed by Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu dismissing it as fake news.
In the letter dated January 4, students were asked to discuss with their sponsors, parents, and guardians or explore other ways of paying their fees.
"I hereby inform all loan applicants of the HELB FUNDING PROGRAM that the disbursing process will be put on hold until further notice," read part of the letter.
Additionally, students had been informed that the decision was agreed upon due to the financial constraints that the government is experiencing.
Students who had received the message were left in a dilemma contemplating what action to take next to fund their academic goals.
However, other students raised questions over delayed funding in the past months which they stated has left them clutching on straws. They urged the board to disburse the pending funds.
Meanwhile, the government in 2023 changed the university funding model to ensure more students have access to funding from the government. The Higher Education Financing (HEF) was unveiled in July by CS Machogu.
"The government has developed and completed the Higher Education Financing portal to receive applications for scholarships, bursaries, and loans for university and TVET students," Machogu remarked.
The model categorises students into three, the vulnerable, the less vulnerable, and the able. Each category will receive a percentage of the government funding depending on their financial situation.
President William Ruto in May 2023 announced that universities and TVETs would no longer receive block funding from the government in the form of capitation.
