Responses by the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) to the environmental challenges of financing higher Education in Kenya

Abstract

The environmental variahles defming HELB's environment of operation are ever changing, greatly impacting on the board's strategic capabilities and the expectation from its stakeholders. This case study sought to establish the responses by the Higher Education Loans boardto the environmental challenges of financing higher education in Kenya. Data for this study was primary, collected by the researcher through personal interviews with the board Secretary (Chief Executive Officer), his deputy as well as departmental heads. Research findings revealed that political, economic, socio-cultural, technological factors of the external environment as well the hoard's internal environment exercise some influence in determining the strategic direction of the board. Findings from the study indicate that challenges facing the boardin its quest to adequately finance higher education in Kenya are manifest. The response strategies have been reactive thus creating some limitations to transforming the hoardinto a self-sustain and autonomous institution, as a result of its internal structure. This has resulted to the board's continuous reliance on the government for grants in order to sustain its objectives of assisting needy students in accessing higher education in Kenya. Arising from the findings, it was suggested that a study he done on understanding and establishing the extent to which the adopted strategies enhan-ce the effectiveness 0 f the Higher Education Loans Boardin financing higher education in Kenya. Such a study would highlight the underlying forces that affect the Board's response to the challenges in both of its environments of operation in its quest to adequately finance higher education in Kenya.