The Higher Education Loans Board has come under sharp criticism from Kenyans for their issuance of clearance certificates.
Today morning saw HELB trend on social media as Kenyans, mostly on twitter,questioned the legality of having to pay the board in order to be issued with a clearance certificate.
Many argued that it is unfair for Kenyans to pay the a fee of Sh1,000 in order to get a certificate showing you have no pending loan debt with the board.
Former students who never applied for the loan in colleges and universities termed the payment as extortion.
In the past, only government jobs required applicants to produce among other things, clearance certficates from HELB which now some employers in the private sector have embraced the same.
To be issued with one, you are required to pay Sh1,000, whether you were a beneficiary of the loan or not.
HELB has however defended the fee.
Through their twitter handle the loans board said that the fee is an organizational policy meant to cater for operational cost for services.
