Students are seen at the University of Dar es Salaam premises. PHOTO | COURTESY
Summary
Dar es Salaam. President Samia Suluhu Hassan yesterday approved an extra Sh84 billion to the Higher Education Students Loans Board (HESLB) to make up for the 28,000 students who missed out on loans due to budgetary restrictions in the academic year 2022/23.
After a public outcry about their plight, which prompted the parliament to pass a resolution, this action allows students who met the requirements but were denied loans to breathe a sigh of relief.
Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa outlined the crucial actions the government took to make it possible for those (28,000) students to be given loans in his address to postpone the proceedings of the Parliament meeting in the capital Dodoma on November 11, 2022.
While the requisite procedures were being completed, Mr Majaliwa instructed the group to attend their respective universities to continue the registration formalities under the supervision of the ministry of Education.
The Tanzania Higher Learning Institutions Students’ Organisation (Tahliso) announced yesterday that Sh84 billion had been set aside to compensate students who were left out and that the money had already been distributed to colleges. In a press conference, Tahliso’s leader Frank Nkinda stated: “Up until today (yesterday), all those students had already been registered in colleges, and the government through HESLB had already completed various payment procedures and the money had already been sent to various institutions in the country.”
He added that the figure was an increase from the 42,000 students who had already received loans from the previous budget of Sh570 billion, which was intended to support 177,000 students (both first-year and continuing ones).
With that amount, he stated, “the total budget for the loans for this year 2022/23 would reach Sh654 billion, benefiting 206,000 students.”
However, in a swift retort, HESLB rejected to confirm the payment of such a sum, stating that any further budgets required parliamentary approval.
“We are unable to claim that the funds have already been issued because we are aware that the parliament must approve any budgetary increases. Nevertheless, we have pledged to get financing for them and demand that these students go to college,” advised Ms Veneranda Malima, Heslb’s communications officer.
“We cannot deviate from the course of action that we have been given; authorisation has already been granted, therefore the students should go to their preferred universities to register. We are not allowed to discuss money, she continued.
In contrast, the government’s contribution of Sh427.5 billion in 2017–18 enabled 121,702 students to secure loans. For 123,329 students in 2018–19, the loan budget was Sh427.5 billion.
Additionally, according to HESLB, the loan budget for 2019–20 was Sh459 billion for 130,072 beneficiaries, and it increased to Sh464 billion for 149,506 recipients in 2020–21. The budget for 177,892 recipients was Sh570 billion in 2021–2022.
No comments :
Post a Comment