The National Assembly Committee on Education and Research have reviewed a proposal that seeks to allow students below 18 years to access financing for their education.
According to a statement from the committee, the proposal, detailed in the Higher Education Loans Board (Amendment) Bill, 2022 aims to do away with the age restriction for applicants. The bill is sponsored by Machakos Women Representative Joyce Kamene.
“The Higher Education Loans Board (Amendment) Bill, 2022 seeks to remove the age restriction for applicants of HELB loans, allowing students below 18 to access financing for their education.
This change would require such students to have their parents or guardians co-sign the loan agreement,” the statement from the committee read in part.
In May 2023, the government introduced a revised funding model aimed at exempting financially disadvantaged students from paying any fees, including living expenses, at colleges and universities.
Subsequently, in light of this new model, the cabinet suspended the requirement for ID cards for 2022 KCSE candidates applying for the HELB loan.
However, in 2021, former Education Cabinet Secretary the late Prof. George Magoha insisted that students applying for the loan ought to be above 18 years arguing that it was vital for the recovery of the loans.
This was in spite of announcing that students below the age of 16 years had done exceptionally well in the 2020 examinations.
“The law of contract constrains persons under the age of 18 from entering in a contractual agreement, including loan agreements.
“This poses a risk of non-recovery of loans disbursed to minors as disputes may arise on account of contravening provisions of Law of Contract Act,” Magoha then indicated.
As per the existing regulations, eligibility for a Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) loan mandates students to be a minimum of 18 years old and have a national ID.
They must also provide a valid phone number registered in their name, an active email address, and a passport-sized photograph.
Applicants are also required to submit their Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) index numbers and year of examination, a college or University admission letter and their parents’ registered telephone number.
The Committee on Education and Research is expected to table a report in the National Assembly.
