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In that regard, the students have been directed to re-fill the online loan application forms for the 2013/14 academic year.
The government has also called on the various institutions where these students had applied to join to let them begin classes ahead of next year’s loan disbursement.
The government’s directives come after Chairperson of Parliamentary Committee on Social Services Margareth Sitta inquired as to the measures the government has taken following the recent student demonstration against been left out.
Speaking yesterday at the meeting with Parliamentary social services committee and HESLB officials, Education and Vocational Training Deputy minister Phillip Mulugo explained that it was true that some students didn’t get their loans due to failure to correctly fill the application form through internet (online).
Of these students, 111had applied for Science related courses, 20 for Mathematics teaching, 20 Agriculture science, 164 for Science teaching, 617 Teaching, 7 Irrigation engineering,70 Engineering and 98 Engineering and science.
“We have realised that there are students who were left out of the loan scheme despite having all the required qualifications, we have now directed the loan board to reopen its website portal and allow students to refill the forms,” he explained.
The ministry will spend 1.9bn/- that was earlier allocated to cover other costs (OC) and the board will use 21bn/- from loan interests and OC budget as well to ensure that the qualified students get their due loans.
Mulugo explained that the money does not include tuition fees but reassured the students that the government is entering into a contractual agreement with the colleges to go ahead and enroll the said students while payment is deferred to the next financial year.
The sum total of the student loan for the 1,107 students is 1.9bn/- and it is to be distributed as follows, Food and shelter costs, 221.4 m/- Books and publications, 686.3 Practical learning and 221.4 Faculty special needs.
Mulugo also announced the ministry’s plan to inspect various colleges deemed to be operating without proper registration by the National Council for Technical Education (NACTE) warning that they will all be closed down.
Colleges in the red-light are Media and Research Center (DSM), Vision Hotel and Tourism College (DSM), East African College of Hospitality and Tourism Management (DSM), The African Institute of Business Management (DSM) and Aspiration Training Center (DSM).
Others are, Morogoro School of Medical Science (Nursing-Morogoro), Dar es Salaam School of Hair Design (DSM), Media and Value Training Center (DSM), Information Technology Training Center (DSM) and Morogoro School of Medical Sciences (Lab Ass-Morogoro).
“I will start the inspection very soon and during the exercise security enforcers will accompany me purposely to arrest the concerned management and teachers found to be teaching after this warning” he said.
Following the students’ demonstration against being left out of the loan scheme, the government told HESLB to find an amicable solution to the matter but HESLB made it clear that it had run out of funds to sponsor anymore students even if they did qualify.
HESLB Director of Information, Education and Communication, Cosmas Mwaisobwa said the loan board had closed its doors and that no more sponsorships will be offered because it had exhausted its budget. At which point the students were advised to reapply in the next academic year.
“We have closed all the doors…the amount we were given for them is exhausted… we are very sorry for those who missed it,” Mwaisobwa had said.
For the academic year 2013/2014, the government allocated 306bn/- for loans to students. The qualifying students were mostly new beneficiaries but about 61,692 were continuing students at different stages.
According to him, of 31,647 students who applied for loans, a total 29,754 students were approved for loans in the academic year 2013/2014.
SOURCE:
THE GUARDIAN
