On November 26, the Comptroller’s Office, through a press release, issued a serious alert about the possible definancing of Icetex by 2025, which would endanger access to higher education for thousands of Colombian students.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs report, the 33% reduction in the budget assigned to Icetex could affect 332,000 students, leaving them without the necessary resources to continue or begin their university studies.
However, on the afternoon of December 6, 2024, the Ministry of Education, in the company of the Icetex board of directors, announced the disbursement of 197,000 million pesos to be able to continue with the registration processes for the period 2025.
“With this we give some peace of mind to all the beneficiaries, and the higher education institutions that were waiting for these resources to end the year,” announced Ricardo Moreno, vice minister of Higher Education.
With the recent announcement, a solution will be provided to more than 200,000 young people who have loans that are financed by the Colombian State. These students have tuition subsidies and support aid.
On the other hand, students who at the time of obtaining their academic credit were informed about a forgiveness of part of the debt, will continue to have this benefit that was in doubt in recent days.
“Likewise, the Icetex Board of Directors reiterates its invitation to mayors and governors to continue jointly exploring mechanisms that allow the allocation of resources, especially through the General Royalties System of the territorial entities, that support young people from vulnerable populations and in conditions of extreme poverty with new programs to access and remain in higher education,” they indicated.
Other credit lines that will benefit from the announced measure
- Territorial Line You pay 0%.
- First class reservists.
- More Colombian than ever.
- Line of credit partial undergraduate scholarships.
- Being Pilo Pays – Laggards.
- Let’s go back to class.
The directors of the entity announced that new meetings would be held to seek funding for more processes that provide new study opportunities in the country. With the change announced by the education ministry, the controversy that was generated in recent weeks ends.
Another measure announced today was the creation of new funds to meet the needs of priority populations in the country. The initiatives that emerged today are:
- Fund for Population Victims of the Armed Conflict.
- Fund for the Disabled Population.
- Fund for the Roma Population.
It is expected that the announced measures will provide a solution to the crisis of the Colombian Institute of Educational Credit and Technical Studies Abroad. The problems would generate great difficulties for hundreds of students seeking to access higher education.
