More than 900 get government study loans

The Higher Education Students’ Financing Board (HESFB) has today released a list of at least 920 students that have successfully been awarded study loans. Of the 920 students, 464 (50.4 per cent) are male and 456 (49.6 per cent) are female.

Speaking at the Uganda Media Center in Kampala, HESFB executive director, Michael Wanyama, said the successful applicants are under “Lot 1” of the 8th cohort of the students’ loan scheme beneficiaries for the academic year 2021/22.

This time, the board released successful applicants in two categories of; continuing students and first-year students. Unlike the previous years, all loan applications were received online.

“The board made the call for loan applications on October 11, 2021, and closed on November 30, 2021. At the end of the application window, only four public universities (Muni University, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Kabale University, and Busitema University) and all the private chartered universities had completed the admission processes,” Wanyama said.

He added: “The Board then extended the loan application period for the other five public universities (Makerere, Kyambogo, Soroti, Lira, and Gulu universities) and the other tertiary institutions to January 15, 2022. This is why we are releasing beneficiaries in two lots.”

For the Lot I beneficiaries, the government has allocated Shs 3.8bn to all the 920 students. The money will cover 120 finalists under the continuing students loan scheme while 735 are undergraduate degree students and 65 students pursuing undergraduate diplomas.

HESFB supports needy but brilliant students pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics programs – save for students with special needs that undertake arts programs recommended by the board. The study loan only covers students’ tuition, functional fees, research fees, and funds to cover aids and appliances for persons with disabilities.

In terms of policy support for persons with disabilities, the board has offered loans to 20 students. Of these four are female while 16 are male. The HESFB chairperson, Prof Callisto Locheng, said most of the students that were not awarded loans did not meet the board’s eligibility criteria. This constitutes students admitted for non-accredited programs; unchartered universities, those admitted for masters and certificate courses; continuing students; and those admitted for humanity programs among others that are not supported.

“Every year we receive big numbers of continuing students applying for loans while the scheme, for now, considers only first-year students and final year continuing students,” Locheng said.

He added: “The demand for the students’ loans has continued to rise. So far a total of 4,797 applications have been received while the board is still receiving more applications which may shoot to 8,000 against 1,600 available slots.”

The number of tertiary institutions benefiting from the scheme has grown from 12 universities in the academic year 2014/15 to 22 and 36 Other Tertiary Institutions. The Board has also increased the number of programs that are supported to 136 undergraduate science programs and 76 diploma programs.

Locheng expressed the need for the government in the future to fund continuing students across the board who are struggling to cater for their education costs.

REGIONAL DISTRIBUTION

The board received applications from all the districts of the country besides Kaabong and Buvuma. Wanyama said the HESFB staff carried out sensitization drives in the two districts but were surprised that no applications were recorded.

“On a good note, Karamoja region was well represented. We want to note that Amudat and Nakapriprit where we have not been receiving applicants, in this round of applications, each have registered a successful applicant. We are certain that this will even improve when we process and release Lot II Loan Awards,” he said.

Overall, the Kampala International University which registered the highest number of applicants (1,273) took the lion’s share with 236 beneficiaries. It is followed by Bishop Stuart University with 121 beneficiaries out of 315 applications, ISBAT University got 112 students out of 481 applications, Ndejje University had 101 students out of 512 applications, and Kabale University with 73 successful students out of a total of 333 applicants.

All successful students are required to sign the loan agreements that shall be dispatched to their respective tertiary institutions and administered by the staff of the HESFB. The board will also cancel its offer to any successful applicant who will be discovered to have falsified any detail in their application process. Also, beneficiaries who do not progress academically will have their offers recalled.

To those who have missed out on the opportunity for study loans, the window of appeal starts today, Monday, January 10, 2022, and closes after 7 days. The appeal forms will be availed online by the board.