'Professional demand determines HESLB’s priority in loan issuance'

The government has maintained that it doesn’t favour students pursuing science courses in the issuance of loans under the Higher Education Students’ Loan Board (HESLB) but rather sets its priorities according to the national and global professional demand.

Deputy Minister for Education and Vocational Training, Jenista Mhagama said this in parliament yesterday when responding to a question raised by Rita Kabati (Special Seats, CCM).

The MP had wanted to know why HESLB’s loan policy discriminat
es Arts students in the issuance of loans.

In her response, Mhagama said all subjects taught in school have equal importance but the government has set priorities according to national and global professional market demands.

She said the country is facing a dire shortage of medical officers, science and mathematics teachers, irrigation engineers and oil and gas engineers.“In order to get experts in these industries, the government has deliberately prioritised the provision of loans to students in such faculties,” he said.

Mhagama said however, non-science students who passed their examinations are also given the loans.

Statistics show that during the 2013/14 academic year, a total of 20,211 students who pursued non science subjects were given loans and out of them, 5,392 are in the education faculty.

According to HESLB for 2013/14, the government allocated 306bn/- for students’ loans.

Until September 30, this year the government through HESLB had collected a total of 58.56bn/- from101, 653 loan beneficiaries which is equivalent to 71 percent of 143, 281 students countrywide.