https://www.businessdail...ault-helb-loans-3323148
About 106, 443 former university students have defaulted on their Higher Education Loans Board (Helb) in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic that triggered layoffs, business closure and freeze in hiring.
Helb data tabled shows loan accounts in default increased by 35, 561 in the six months to December with the defaulted loans increasing 55 per cent or Sh3.7 billion to Sh10.4 billion in the period when the virus ravaged corporate Kenya.
Loan defaulters have weakened the Helb’s ability to support university and technical college students, prompting allocation cuts and requests for Sh8.6 billion additional funding from the Treasury.
“As at December 2020 Sh10.4 billion was held by 106,443 loanees, a sharp rise from the Sh6.7 billion held by 68,882 loanees as of June 30, 2020, mainly attributed to retrenchment as a result of Covid-19,” said Helb chief executive Charles Ringera.
Helb matured loans stood at Sh45 billion, giving the agency a non performing ratio of 23 per cent—which is higher than the banking average of 14.1 per cent.
Wealth is built through a relatively simple equation
Wealth=Income + Investments - Lifestyle