Helb to list names, photos of student loan defaulters

[einstein]

Did you clear the university study loan you received from the Higher Education Loans Board (Helb)?

If not, you may be one of the 85,000 Kenyans the board says it is going to name and shame in 30 days.

Helb, which has been smoking out defaulters in every possible hideout, says it will also publish photos of the men and women who have failed to repay their loans, now standing at Sh50 billion.

In a statement on Sunday, the board said defaulters will have 30 days to come forward and explain how they will repay the loans.

The national higher education financier says it requires the cash to help other poor Kenyans realise their dream of acquiring degrees and diplomas.

LEGAL ACTION

Helb said some of the beneficiaries in default have not responded to previous communication, therefore hindering financial support to other deserving Kenyans.

“The names and pictures of Helb loan beneficiaries who have defaulted repayment of the loan from 1975 to date shall be published in the leading newspapers after expiry of 30 days from the date of this notice and thereafter legal action may be taken against each defaulter,” added the statement.

The board has now asked beneficiaries who are not servicing their loans are to get in touch with it for particulars of their loan account.

Last year, Helb recovered more than Sh500 million following a two-month amnesty that was issued by the government.

According to Helb, it cannot trace 17,000 defaulters, while by last year 85,000 loan defaulters were owing the agency.

A total of 169,909 graduates had fully repaid their loans worth Sh13.2 billion by September 2017, while some 136,783 beneficiaries were servicing loans worth Sh20.7 billion.

Since 1974, the university loan scheme has supported over 645,000 Kenyans to pursue higher education at a total cost of Sh72 billion.

www.nation.co.ke/news/education/Helb-to-publish-names-photos-of-student-loan-defaulters/2643604-5352820-3qp7dn/index.html

[einstein]

Why Babu Owino won’t repay Helb loan

Despite earning millions of shillings in salary and allowances from his job as a lawmaker, Embakasi East MP, Babu Owino, says he is not willing to repay the Higher Education Loans Board (Helb) loan he took to facilitate his University education.

Owino spoke during a TV interview on Monday, on the day Helb stated it will name and shame all defaulters of this loan scheme.

TAXPAYERS’ MONEY

But besides urging Helb to handle the stalemate on a diplomatic manner, the 30-year-old outspoken MP also argued that there is no need to repay the loans, anyway, as the monies are retrieved from public coffers.

“I will not repay that (Helb) loan. It is taxpayers’ money. It is not a loan we took from China,” he said.

FREE EDUCATION

“I was called to come and acquire knowledge at the University of Nairobi. It is the work of the government to pay for my education. They (government) promised us free primary and secondary education. University education should also be free.”

At the same time, Helb has asked all defaulters to explain how they intend to clear the loan within 30 days.

About 85,000 Kenyans have been unable to repay Sh50 billion to Helb and Owino believes it is because most of them are unable to.

nairobinews.nation.co.ke/news/why-babu-owino-wont-repay-helb-loan

[mank]

i have something to say to Babu Owino and his likes: The fleas and ticks that suckle blood without insulting their host are way more honourable than you. You are not at all honourable, actually. You are an irritating parasite. The least those who were privileged to launch their private lives on the account of the commoner can do is to pay back to the commoner. Then if they are conscious people, they go even further, to make it more possible for other nobodies to be somebodies. But here you are, Babu Owino, arguing that it was yours before you were anybody. I pray for your overstanding. Meanwhile, I wonder what your people saw in your filthy being, that they endowed their representation upon you.