The National Assembly Departmental Committee on Education chaired by Hon. Julius Melly (Tinderet) on Tuesday, March 19, 2024 met to review a draft Report of the Higher Education Loans Board (Amendment) Bill, 2022, sponsored by Hon. Joyce Kamene (Machakos).

 The Higher Education Loans Board (Amendment) Bill, 2022 seeks to remove the age restriction for applicants of HELB loans, allowing students below 18 to access financing for their education. This change would require such students to have their parents or guardians co-sign the loan agreement.

 Under current regulations, students must be at least 18 years old and possess a national Identity Card to qualify for the loan. 

 The Committee had earlier placed advertisements in two newspapers with nationwide circulation inviting Kenyans to submit their views on the Bill. 

So far, the Committee has received submissions from; Hon. Kamene,  Ministry of Education, Kenya Law Reform Commission (KLRC), Office of the Attorney General and several members of the public. 

In the Report, lawmakers acknowledged the fact that the Bill's core objective is to expand access to higher education financing for all qualified students, regardless of age.