Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu unveiled a new funding model portal for higher education, aiming to benefit students enrolling in universities and Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) institutions.
The CS announced the new Higher Education Financing (HEF) Portal during the release of the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) selection results on Monday. He said HEF Portal will enable students to apply for scholarships, loans, and bursaries.
“It is now my pleasure to announce that the scholarships, loans and bursaries application platform is now ready for use,” Machogu said.
President William Ruto recently unveiled a new funding model that aims to direct higher education assistance directly to individual students, using meticulously crafted criteria for eligibility.
Among the 2022 KCSE graduates, more than 45,000 university students and 42,000 TVET students, classified as vulnerable and extremely needy, will receive full funding through Government scholarships and loans.
CS Machogu said such students will not be required to make any payments for the program costs, and in addition to the funding, they will also receive financial support for their upkeep through the loan.
“For the first time, students whose households are at the bottom of the pyramid shall enjoy equal opportunities in accessing university and TVET education through 100 per cent government funding,” Machogu said.
Students in need of funding must submit formal applications through the Higher Education Financing portal via www.hef.co.ke.
CS Mchogu also instructed tertiary institutions to release admission letters to candidates no later than August 2, 2023. This will enable students to begin applying for loans and bursaries starting from August 3, with a deadline set for August 27.
“I urge students to ensure they stick to the set timelines to ensure speedy processing of scholarships and loans since most Universities are preparing to admit First Year students in September,” Machogu said.
