Monday, January 2, 2012

University students’ loans kitty set to be increased to Sh5 billion



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File | Nation Nairobi University students at a past graduation ceremony at the campus. The government will allocate more funds to the Higher Loans Education Board in the next financial year to allow more students to join universities.
File | Nation Nairobi University students at a past graduation ceremony at the campus. The government will allocate more funds to the Higher Loans Education Board in the next financial year to allow more students to join universities. 
By  BARNABAS BII bbii@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Sunday, January 1  2012 at  22:00
IN SUMMARY
  • Government beefs up purse as more young Kenyans apply for money to join higher learning institutions
Funds allocated for loans to university students will be increased from Sh4.1 billion to Sh5 billion in the next financial year.
Higher Education Loans Board (Helb) secretary Benjamin Cheboi said this was due to more students seeking financial assistance.
“The board advanced Sh4.1 billion to students last year and this will be increased to Sh5 billion to enable more to benefit from the kitty,” he said.
Mr Cheboi said Helb recovered Sh2.3 billion this year and urged those who had not paid up to do so.
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“Beneficiaries of loans who are interested in running for public office have to pay their loans to be cleared as contained in article 6 of the Constitution,” said Mr Cheboi at a meeting with university students in Eldoret.
Speaking at the same occasion, Higher Education Minister Margaret Kamar said the government will allocate more funds to introduce double intakes at public universities.
Prof Kamar said the system will enable qualified Form Four leavers to go to university a year after the examinations.
“By 2015, no student will wait for more than one year before joining university,” she announced.
She said the double intake system introduced by some public universities has been a success.
Meanwhile, female circumcision and early marriages have been blamed for the high rate of school dropouts among girls in Kerio Valley region.
As a result, the provincial administration and local leaders have launched a major campaign to discourage the communities from practising the rite.
The coordinator of the Marakwet Girls and Women Project, Mrs Eunice Yego Lokanda, said an aggressive campaign had been launched to encourage the communities to abandon the outdated cultural practice.
“Poverty eradication and improved living standards cannot be achieved unless such outdated practices are eliminated,” said Mrs Lokanda.
The group praised Marakwet East MP Linah Kilimo for being at the forefront in the fight against FGM and early marriages.
“The practice has declined in some parts of the region due to efforts by Mrs Kilimo and it is our wish that other leaders join the crusade,” said Mrs Lokanda.
She accused some leaders of undermining Mrs Kilimo’s efforts.
“It is unfortunate that some leaders, especially politicians, are not serious in the fight against such practices as they fear losing votes,” she said.
She alleged that some leaders incited residents not to participate in activities to educate the people on the dangers posed by such practices.
Tot youth and sports officer Mathew Cheboi said FGM and early marriages were a stumbling block to the Free Primary Education programme.

“The problems in the region can be solved by investing in education and doing away with FGM and early marriages,” said Mr Cheboi.
He blamed underdevelopment in the region on the failure by parents to take education seriously.
He said because of declining education standards, less than 20 girls in the region joined public universities each year.

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