HESLB controversy: Students speak out

Dar es Salaam. Leaders of university students governments yesterday rubbed salt on wounds of the Higher Education Students’ Loans Board (HESLB) pouring claims that the institution was to blame for frustrations their colleagues experience in colleges.

This comes after Parliament suspended its scheduled business so as to discuss the questions surrounding the HESLB.

Last week, Education minister Adolf Mkenda accused HESLB of attempting to sabotage the work of the probe committee he had appointed to audit the board’s performance in the last five years.

The three-member team, which Prof Mkenda appointed in September, was directed to, among other things, review the issuance of loans to beneficiaries in the past five years.

It was given a month to complete its assignment, which also included examining complaints about the loan disbursement process.

But the issue was on Tuesday raised in Parliament, prompting Speaker Tulia Ackson to summon HESLB’s top officials and appear before the Social Welfare and Community Development Committee tomorrow to explain why the board was disregarding the minister’s directives. “It’s strange for the loans board to ignore the minister’s directives,” Dr Ackson noted.

The saga has caused a debate across the country, particularly on why some students, though having all the criteria, miss out on loans.

Speaking to The Citizen by phone yesterday, Education and Loans leader at the Water Institute Abdallah Mapua said only a few students had so far received their loans at the college.

For the part of the Dar es Salaam University College of Education (DUCE), a leader who asked not to be named said there were many students who were yet to receive loans and even the response of students to join in the college has been low due to the funding situation.

“I think it is due to lack of money. In fact many students are in dilemma over the loans from HESLB, thus hesitating their decision to travel to college,” he said.

The leader said, Parliament has already announced that students should join the colleges even if they were yet to receive funds, but that was easier said than done.

A students’ leader at the Open University of Tanzania (OUT), Mr Felix Lugeiyamu, noted that the challenge they faced was the procedure used for OUT beneficiaries to access loans, which was different from that of other colleges.

“I think HESLB has failed to understand that and it’s like they consider us as ‘part time’ students, which is not correct,” he said.

Mr Lugeiyamu said the students at the college have been complaining about the small loan amounts extended to them causing them to fail to meet their education needs.

However, for his part a students’ leader at Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), Mr Daniel Isack, admitted yesterday that students have started receiving loans, but complained about the students’ needs not being met.

“They have started receiving money today (yesterday). The Students of Higher Education Organisation (Tahiliso) sat and agreed with HESLB that the students should in this academic year receive Sh10,000 as a top up but until now that amount has not been considered..., ” he said.

Psychologist Amos Mbwana noted that difficulties associated with access to loans do cause psychological challenges among students negatively impacting their motivation to learn.

“I think that many parents, once they hear that their children have successfully obtained a loan for higher education, they do not worry about finding money for them, this leaves a student frustrated, hurting his academic performance,” he explained.

However, HESLB’s Corporate Communications chief Omega Ngole noted that monies due to be paid had already been released to the respective recipients as the Board had no reason to delay the money.

“For students with complaints, they should consult loans officers at their respectives universities,” he explained.