Universities have been instructed to update student portals with accurate fee details to avoid confusion as the new semester begins, amid widespread complaints from students over delayed Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) disbursements.

Many students say they are yet to receive allocations despite the Ministry of Education releasing Sh9.46 billion through HELB on Tuesday to cater for 309,178 university students across the country.

The disbursement comprised Sh5.76 billion for tuition and Sh3.7 billion for upkeep. However, more than half of applicants have not received the money, leaving many struggling to meet tuition and personal expenses.

“Details say my tuition fee has been paid, but in the school portal, it hasn’t been reflected. I have benefited from HELB only twice. I deferred one of my learning years, but didn’t receive HELB. Now I’m joining my fourth year,” one student lamented.

“I applied for a subsequent loan using the HELB portal app, and it was successful and given a serial number. Yesterday I went to the portal, they said I haven’t applied for HELB,” another student added.

Responding to the growing concerns, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said the funds are being disbursed in phases and students whose semesters start in October may not immediately see updates on their portals.

He urged universities to upload correct data without delay to ease student frustrations.

His directive follows a recent incident at the University of Nairobi (UoN), where new students logging into their portals ahead of registration were shocked to find fee demands of up to Sh50,000.

Ogamba explained that the error occurred because UoN only prepared fee details for individual students on August 15, just days before reopening on August 18, meaning the information could not be uploaded in time over the weekend.

“As a result, the actual figures could not be uploaded over the weekend. Universities have been directed to upload the correct information for each student on their portal,” he said on Wednesday during the issuance of a Letter of Interim Authority to Consolata International University (CIU) at the Commission for University Education offices.

The CS added that a technical team has been deployed to UoN and other institutions to help students log in and verify that corrections are properly reflected. Universities are reopening for the new semester between now and October.

Meanwhile, the government has reduced semester fees for university students by between 15 and 40 per cent, with new charges ranging from Sh5,814 to Sh75,000 depending on the programme and classification.

The adjustment, which takes effect on September 1, 2025, is aimed at making higher education more affordable and will apply to both new and continuing students.

According to the Ministry, the lower fees will benefit 201,695 first-year students and 257,530 learners in Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions.