National Assembly leader of the Minority, Opiyo Wandayi, raised concerns over President William Ruto's plan to disband Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) and replace it with another body.

Through a statement, Wandayi questioned the move arguing that it will affect continuing students being financed by the venerable body.

He explained that HELB disbandment would force continuing students to defer studies for more than six months - a move he claimed exceeded an academic semester.  

"As you disband HELB, what happens to the poor university students who are due to report for their new semester this month?

Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi. TWITTER  OPIYO WANDAYI

"Do they also defer their studies for six months, which is historic?" Wandayi questioned. 

On the other hand, Kileleshwa Member of County Assembly Robert Alai faulted the move arguing that it was a plan to halt funding to public universities.

"They won’t fund public universities and they will abolish HELB?" Alai questioned.

A section of Kenyans online also castigated the Head of State, arguing that abolishing HELB would affect funding for students from less fortunate families.

They asked the President to reform HELB in order to make it more accessible to Kenyans.

"After removing education capitation making Education so expensive, he now wants to abolish HELB which happens to be the reason most of us were able to go through college education," Richie wrote on Twitter while appealing to him to rethink his strategy.

However, others faulted Azimio for castigating Ruto, insisting that the President's plan to abolish HELB was meant to increase student capitation. 

While speaking on Sunday, January 1, Ruto vowed to establish national skills and funding council to connect the two levels to provide a credit transfer framework and to support academic progression.

He added that National Education Fund will mobilise grants, bursaries, and scholarships from private and public sponsors to cover non-tuition costs.

"To bridge the current higher education funding gap of up to 45 per cent, the government will establish the National Skill and Funding Council that amalgamates HELB, TVET, and University Funding Board," Ruto stated.

"This immediately doubles the current Higher Education Loans Board funding from Ksh11 billion to Ksh22 billion and eliminates interest on HELB loans," he added.