The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) has written off a staggering Ksh 347 million in unpaid loans, after confirming that over 2,600 of its borrowers had passed away. The move comes as part of HELB’s clean-up efforts in the 2024/25 financial year.
Highlights:
- HELB cancels Ksh 347 million in loans for 2,605 deceased loanees
- The write-off is part of the board’s 2024/25 financial year report
- HELB has been cross-checking records with civil registration data
- The board aims to focus recovery efforts on active borrowers
Main Story:
In a major update from the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB), a total of Ksh 347 million in student loans has been officially written off after confirming that 2,605 loan recipients are deceased. The announcement was made in the board’s latest financial report for the 2024/25 year.
The debt relief follows ongoing efforts by HELB to align its loan recovery systems with national records. Through collaboration with government agencies like the Civil Registration Department, the board has been able to verify and flag loanees who are no longer alive.
HELB said that the write-off is a necessary step to ensure that recovery efforts are directed toward borrowers who are still active. The board emphasized that pursuing repayments from the families of the deceased is not in its mandate, hence the full waiver.
This is part of a broader financial restructuring plan as HELB tries to manage funding gaps while supporting more students through its revolving loan scheme.
The move has stirred mixed reactions online, with some Kenyans applauding the transparency, while others raised concerns about the efficiency of past loan tracking. Still, HELB reiterated its commitment to improving systems and accountability.
The agency also revealed it’s exploring new tech and data-sharing partnerships to minimize future loan leakages and defaults.
As HELB clears the books of the dead, the bigger question remains — how can Kenya balance compassion with accountability in funding higher education?
