HELB breaks silence to website hacking reports days after the Treasury released Ksh10 billion
On Monday, January 22, the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) had to address allegations of funds meant for students being accessed by hackers that circulated online.
According to a widely shared post, the hackers reportedly took control of more than 5,000 student accounts.
Three days following the disbursement of Ksh10 billion by the Treasury to cater to scholarships and loans for first-year students in public universities, the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) had to respond to allegations of hackers accessing these funds meant for students.
Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu issued a directive for the release of the funds under the New Higher Education Funding Model.
HELB is currently providing reassurance to the public, affirming that the funds remain secure.
The organization assures Kenyans that each beneficiary is anticipated to receive the designated amount without any compromise to the security of the funds.
“Disregard the false HELB message claiming a hack on batch numbers! Your funds are safe,” the board issued a statement.
University students have been advised not to hurry to Huduma Centres to verify the security of their accounts. Contrary to a flagged post, students were cautioned against responding to messages instructing those who received payment texts from HELB to visit Huduma Centres with their national identity cards.
The post asserted that although hackers had gained access to the accounts, they were encountering difficulties withdrawing the funds.
It’s worth noting that, under the new funding model, which distributes funds to students based on their level of need, President William Ruto’s government has already allocated Ksh23 billion towards the program.
In order to access the funds, students are required to have been admitted to higher learning institutions by the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS).
Furthermore, they need to apply for the funds through the Higher Education Financing (HEF) portal.
