HELB Clarifies Release of Students’ Loans and Upkeep Funds

Emmanuel Rono 3 days ago

The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) has flagged a viral letter circulating online claiming a nationwide student loan disbursement, urging students and parents to ignore misleading information shared online.

A fake letter purportedly written by Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba claimed that Ksh 9.46 billion had been disbursed to more than 300,000 students, causing a great deal of confusion on social media, according to a notice released by HELB on Wednesday, February 4, 2026.

“Please note that student upkeep disbursement has been ongoing as institutions reopen. Students are advised to rely only on official HELB communication platforms for accurate and up-to-date information,” HELB stated.

Also Read: HELB Announces 32 Job Vacancies: How to Apply

Clarification from HELB

In a notice, HELB marked the letter which indicated that Ksh 5.76 billion had been allocated for tuition fees and Ksh 3.7 billion for student upkeep, with a prominent “FAKE” stamp to alert the public.

The board provided the following clarifications:

Ongoing Disbursements: HELB confirmed that legitimate student upkeep disbursements have been ongoing as various institutions reopen for the new semester.

Official Channels Only: Students and parents are strongly advised to ignore information from unofficial sources and rely solely on the official HELB communication platforms for accurate updates.

Verification: To check their actual funding status, students should log in to their individual HELB portals or use the official USSD code *642#.

Also Read: HELB Warns Students Against Fake Emails Amid Loan Season

The board stated that verified HELB channels continue to be the only official source of updates and reiterated that student maintenance funds are being released as universities resume operations.

Additionally, it urged graduates who profited from the loans to pay them back so that more students could take advantage of the program.

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