Nairobi — University student leaders have written to President William Ruto seeking his intervention over delayed disbursements by the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB).

Kenya University Student Organization (KUSO) president Anthony Manyara stated that the blame game over the delay was between HELB and Treasury with no solution in sight.

HELB has always maintained that the delayed release was not the making of the institution, explaining that release of the funds was pegged on exchequer disbursements.

"It is our request that an intervention or directive is issued to settle the blame-shifting games between HELB and the Treasury, and comrades receive their loan disbursements to enable them meet tuition and accommodation costs," Manyara stated.

KUSO lamented that thousands of students are facing uncertainty over their enrollment to subsequent academic sessions due to lack of funds to meet their tuition and accommodation costs.

"At the moment, thousands of students are staring into the future with uncertainty following yet again, another delay by the Higher Education Loans Board, HELB, to release student Loans and bursaries," Manyara stated.

This is not the first time HELB disbursements have been delayed, it being almost the norm.

HELB gives loans to students admitted to both public and private universities as well as those in technical and vocational institutions.

Government-sponsored students are funded by Sh70,000 capitation that is paid directly to universities and they are expected to meet the other costs using the loan they get from Helb.

The government gives capitation based on the number of students and the cost of courses at the universities.

Under the model, the government should ideally cater for 80 percent of the unit cost while the remaining 20 percent is borne by the students and the institutions.