The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) is now pushing for access to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) databases in a bid to track down loan defaulters, some of whom are reportedly living large, buying cars, but refusing to repay their student loans.
In a bold move to tighten the noose on elusive beneficiaries, HELB says linking its system with tax and vehicle registration records will help identify individuals with the financial muscle to settle their debts but who have chosen not to.
“It’s unacceptable that someone can afford a car but claim they can’t repay a government loan that helped educate them,” HELB stated.
The agency states that millions are owed by former students, which threatens the sustainability of the fund intended to support needy learners. With over 100,000 new applicants each year, HELB emphasises that recovery from past beneficiaries is crucial to maintaining the revolving fund.
If granted access, this data-sharing partnership could mark a new era of aggressive loan recovery targeting lifestyle versus liability.