Long-term Impacts of HELB on the Youth

I don’t know whether we, humans, are still evolving or it’s the change in lifestyle, but I will have to admit that kids these days are quite sharp. This intelligence is regardless of their backgrounds. Getting admission to colleges is, therefore, no big deal. In fact, some have total confidence that they will pursue a college education in their desired universities way before the announcement of the results.

Thanks to our Higher Education Loans Board which offers students loans to our bright brothers and sisters. More so, the credit is available to both government-sponsored students; this includes all students who got B+ (plus) all the way to clean A in their exams. Consideration is passed to those students who didn’t manage to score top grades but still did exemplary well. Their loans, however, are lower than the former. All these make education an easy pie to enjoy and look forward to, for those still in high school.

The real trouble starts when you clear college and you start tarmacking seeking for a job. You will have to agree with me, the Kenya we live in today, not unless someone is holding your hand, getting a job on your own is tricky. This, however, is no longer a big issue considering so many small businesses are willing to hire fresh minds.

The first thing you note while looking for job vacancies in the dailies and online is that most companies require that you have a clearance from higher education loans board. Now for heaven’s sake, how is one supposed to have a clearance from HELB if they are fresh from school? This requirement means only one thing my friend, hassle in other ways and try to pay the loan. Only then can you apply to these large and well-paying jobs.

So, you didn’t secure the anticipated job because HELB hasn't cleared you yet, but that doesn’t mean the end. You successfully land a “smaller” job than you were hoping for while still back in college. But considering you have tasted a few pressures in the white color jobs world, you happily take it. All this time you are hoping to enjoy your salary in peace. In fact, you have thousands of plans that you want to achieve within the first year of work.

Your joy is until you submit your first returns to Kenya Revenue Authority. You open up about your income and the fact that you are earning. All along HELB had been sending you messages, but they were not sure whether you were working. Now your data is with KRA. A week after/ or even earlier, you get a message from HELB telling you they have sent loan payment details to your employer. Of course, there is nothing you can do about it but one thing is for sure, there will be more deduction to your meager salary.

Assuming to you didn’t land an office job but ventured into other things and are making just enough money. At the back of your mind you know you have a loan to pay. But this will start once you stabilize financially. After a year or so, your plans are cut short after you receive a warning from HELB that they are going to list you on CRB. Its then that you realize, either way, there is no way around this until you pay the debt.

It’s a good that HELB offers loans to students and it’s the duty of everyone who has the student to pay. But when this loan becomes the reason why a qualified youth cannot secure a job, then it becomes useless. Employers should consider scrapping off that “clearance from HELB” requirement. Most young people depended on HELB, and if they don’t offer them that job, they may never be able to get that clearance at all.

#HELB #Loans #FlorenceKarimi