Loans make university funding model more sustainable - Ruto

President William Ruto has defended the inclusion of loans in the university funding model, emphasizing that it is essential for sustainability.

Ruto who was speaking during a town hall meeting on Sunday in Nairobi highlighted that the loan component has always been part of the higher education system and is crucial for its continued success.

"The loan issue is not new to us. Any student who has gone to university, unless their parents paid the full fee, they have a loan. There is no crime in having a loan, and there is no crime if you genuinely don't have the money to pay for it," he said at KICC.

The Head of State drew a parallel between the current university loans and the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) loans that have enabled many students to complete their undergraduate studies.

However, Ruto was clear that no student should be pressured to repay their loans until they secure employment.

He shared his own experience, recalling how he only began repaying his Sh55,000 HELB loan, which had accrued to Sh69,000 with interest, after landing his first salaried job as a Member of Parliament.

"I think the position should be until we are sure of an income. You can't ask a person who is tarmacking to pay because you'd be asking the impossible. I didn't pay myself until I got a job. Nobody followed me, but maybe these people are a lot more aggressive nowadays," Ruto added.

In addition, the Head of State urged those who have benefited from university loans and are now in a position to repay to do so.

"I encourage those of us who took a loan from the university if you can afford to pay, please let us pay," Ruto said.