Low uptake of loans by students from some wards in Busia County calls for concerted efforts to sensitize them on the need to benefit from the funds.
Speaking while presenting quarterly reports on the status of Busia Revolving Fund, Busia county- Afya loans and Busia scholarships for 2019/2020 Financial Year, HELB official Ronald Tanui regretted the low intake.
He said sensitization is the only solution to create awareness on the existence of these fund.
“Bunyala Sub County had 17 students who applied for the HELB loan, an equivalent of 4.7 per cent of the total number of 355 students from the County who applied for the loan; Funyula was the second from bottom with 19 students (5.4%) submitting their applications,” he said.
Butula had the highest uptake with 92 students benefiting from the fund; this is equivalent to 26% of the total applicants. Matayos was second with 76 students (21%), Teso North 54 (15.2%), Teso South 52 (14.5%) and Nambale 45 (12.7%).
Tanui also said that Nambuku/Namboboto Ward had no single student who applied for the loans while Bunyala West, Malaba North, Malaba Central and Bwiri Wards had less than two students who submitted their applications.
He lauded Matayos South, Marachi West and Malaba South Wards for having over 30 students who benefited from the fund.
He said that the Board will join hands with the County Government to sensitize the students on the availability and importance of the loans.
To enable students who missed out, the HELB official suggested the Board will have its portal open during December holidays for the students to apply for various loans.
County Executive Committee Member for Education and Vocational Training John Mwami said they will use information from the HELB quarterly report to sensitize students on the existence of county Revolving Fund, Afya Elimu fund and scholarship fund.
The CEC said he will reach out to political and church leaders to work together as a team to educate students on the need to access county loans.
So far, Ksh1.19m in principal amount has been recovered from the past Busia county revolving fund beneficiaries.
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