The Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Prof Joyce Ndalichako, answers MPs’ questions in Parliament in Dodoma yesterday. PHOTO | JONATHAN MUSA
Dodoma. Higher education loans and health insurance were among top issues that emerged in
Parliament yesterday as sessions kicked off.After the morning session, National Assembly Speaker Job Ndugai directed Parliamentary Social Services Committee to stay strong and push for a Bill that would make universal health insurance coverage mandatory.
“Universal health insurance coverage is very important for our people and you need to push the government to draft and table the Bill,” said Mr Ndugai as he winded up the morning session.
“If you relax, five years will pass and nothing will happen. You need to put this issue on your list of things to do,” he guided the team members.
The debate about loans for higher education students started during the questions and answers session in the morning when Moshi Urban MP Priscus Tarimo (CCM) asked why the students from private schools were denied loans or given less.
He said there was a growing perception that students from private schools were usually coming from well-to-do families, while in reality some were just sponsored through donations as they hailed from ordinary families.
“Why the government can’t just put in place a fair system that will examine pass marks and afford them loans?” asked Mr Tarimo.
Responding to the question, the deputy Minister for Education, Science and Technology, Mr Omary Kipanga, said the issuance of student loans was governed by laws and scrutinised the needs of beneficiaries and a host of other criteria.
He said coming from the private school was not a factor as “there are a lot of students studied in the private schools who are benefiting from the loans.”
He said what was important for students was to correctly fill the loan application forms and show in the means testing that they really deserved the loans.
During supplementary questions, Esther Matiko (Special Seats-Chadema) wanted the government to move a motion for amending the higher education loans law to reduce the deductions, which currently stand at 15 percent of the beneficiary’s monthly salary.
She was of the view that the deductions reduced to single digits as a way of reducing burden to beneficiaries.
However, education minister Joyce Ndalichako said repaid money accounted for 46 percent of the budget for the loans and there it was important.
The issue resurfaced during the debate on the speech of the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Dr John Magufuli, with some MPs calling on the government to support more students with the loans.
“There are many young people who miss the higher education opportunity after passing just because they did not get the loan. They miss the loans because of coming from private schools. I think the Loans Board should focus on the history of the applicants. Some of the private school students were just sponsored and suffer when the sponsors die,” argued Mr Ridhiwani Kikwete (Chalinze-CCM).
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