Following public outcry, Geoffrey Monari, the CEO of the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB), has justified the need for the new funding model.
In an article titled 'Why We Had to Change How We Fund Higher Education in Kenya', published on August 6, Monari defended the new funding model, describing the overhaul as necessary due to the shortcomings of the previous system, which left students underfunded and without a means of determining their level of need.
In 2023, a redesign of the system was proposed that would use 12 socio-economic indicators to determine how much each household contributes, and subsequently how much students would receive in government loans.
Despite significant opposition, including legal action, the new funding model was implemented.
