HELB App Error Locks Out Students Agency Urges Direct Contact
HELB App Error Locks Out Students Agency Urges Direct Contact
According to the agency, the HELB app is displaying an error message that is preventing many users from accessing its services.
In a statement on X, HELB on Thursday urged students facing this challenge to contact them directly for assistance.
“If you’re encountering a “device changed” error on the HELB app, reach out to us in the DM, email us at contactcentre@helb.co.ke, or give us a call at 0711052000,” HELB stated.
The delay comes amid the delayed release of funds to students who reopened school at the start of the month. At the start of the month, University of Nairobi students issued an ultimatum for HELB to release the disbursements ahead of exams. Last week, the government released Kshh19 billion for basic education and Ksh15 billion in capitation funds.
The disbursement of loans by HELB remains a persistent challenge for students, with delays disrupting academic plans year after year. While these funds are meant to ease tuition payments and support students’ daily expenses, their untimely release often leaves beneficiaries struggling to meet essential costs.
Students have long decried the unpredictability of the disbursement schedule, which is frequently attributed to budgetary constraints, increasing demand, and a sluggish loan repayment rate from past recipients. With the rising number of applicants, HELB has faced difficulties in keeping up with financial needs, stretching its resources thin.
Established in 1995, HELB was designed to bridge financial gaps for students in universities and technical institutions. The loans are disbursed in tranches, typically at the beginning of academic terms, with amounts varying from Ksh35,000 to Ksh60,000 annually based on financial need and course of study.
However, delays in these payments have left many students unable to pay tuition on time, risking deferment of their studies.
Moreover, the issues with the HELB app come as the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) class of 2024 is set to join universities in September.
Already, HELB is set to contend with being merged with the University Fund introduced by President William Ruto’s government with the new funding model.
As part of the government’s changes to rectify the controversial funding model, the new university entrants will use an improved model to come into force in September when 2024 Form Four leavers join universities and colleges.
A special committee appointed by President William Ruto in September last year has submitted its preliminary report that proposes changes to the earlier model introduced in 2023, according to Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba.
HELB App Error Locks Out Students Agency Urges Direct Contact
