The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) and the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) have signed an agreement to offer financial support to students pursuing forestry-related studies.
In a statement on Thursday, July 17, KFS said the two institutions entered into a service contract to establish the Kenya Forestry College Student Funding Scheme (KFC-SF), targeting learners enrolled at the Kenya Forestry College (KFC) in Londiani.
"The agreement, signed at KFS Headquarters in Karura by PSDCCF-FCM Dr. Clement Ng’oriareng and HELB CEO Mr. Geoffrey Monari, aims to provide loans and bursaries to students pursuing forestry-related courses at Kenya Forestry College (KFC)," KFS said
Ng’oriareng said the partnership is a critical step toward building a technically equipped workforce.
Monari echoed the sentiment, calling the partnership a milestone in integrating higher education with national climate goals.
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The scheme will be managed by HELB while a joint KFS-HELB-KFC committee will provide oversight to ensure transparency and effective implementation.
According to KFS, the five-year agreement is expected to enhance access to quality forestry education and support the country's environmental and development goals.
This comes months after the government reinstated HELB sponsorship program for Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) students.
KMTC CEO Kelly Oluoch made the announcement in an update on Thursday, March 27, stating that the Treasury has allocated Ksh500 million in the 2024/25 supplementary budget to support financially needy students.
He described the move as a relief to thousands of KMTC students who had been left without financial aid following the government's decision to channel Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) funds exclusively to institutions under the Ministry of Education.
“This means we will go ahead and ask the Treasury to release the funds. Once the money reaches our bank, which may take a few weeks, we will ask HELB to open the portal for students to apply,” he said.
Oluoch said that in a bid to restore the funding, KMTC engaged key government bodies, including the Parliamentary Committee on Health and the Ministry of Health.
“This prompted us to engage extensively with key government bodies, including the Parliamentary Committee on Health and the Ministry of Health, to advocate for the reinstatement of the funding.
“We are pleased to announce that our efforts have borne fruit. The Government has allocated Kshs 500 million for student loans in collaboration with HELB,” he said.
