The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) has urged students to maintain the same mobile money number throughout their studies to prevent delays or failed loan disbursements.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

The board advised beneficiaries to ensure their mobile money details remain consistent with the information registered during their loan applications through an official statement, as seen by  Kenyans.co.ke on October 15.  “One number. No confusion.Keep the same mobile money number registered with HELB throughout your studies to avoid delayed or failed disbursements,” HELB stated.

Students who change their mobile money numbers without updating their records risk experiencing delays as HELB processes their upkeep funds and other student loan payments.

The loans board has occasionally noted that incorrect loanee details have accounted for a significant portion of returned funds.

📌 What You Need to Know

According to HELB's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ekwee Ethuro, up to 40 per cent of returned funds result from students providing incorrect or updated account details. The problem comes amid broader funding challenges, with more than 140,000 university and technical and vocational education and training (TVET) students reportedly affected by loan allocation and cash shortages.

First-year students have also experienced processing delays linked to late National Identity Card issuance and mismatches between examination index numbers and identification details on the Higher Education Financing (HEF) portal.

Students experiencing payment delays should first log into the HEF portal and confirm that their registered mobile money number, bank account and identification details are correct.

According to HELB, where information has changed, beneficiaries should update their profiles to ensure HELB has the correct details before processing subsequent disbursements. Students whose funds are returned because of incorrect account information may receive SMS notifications, with payments reprocessed once the relevant details have been rectified and updated. In the event one experiences persistent problems in application corrections, they are encouraged to visit the nearest Huduma Centre or HELB offices.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke