21 JAN

Zambia National Students Union commends Government delivery on Promise to extends loans to other Universities

The Zambia National Students Union has commended the Higher Education Loans and Scholarship Board for sticking to its promise to include Palabana, Chalimbana, Kwame Nkrumah, Mukuba and Mulungushi universities on the student grants and loans.

On 21st December 2018, ZANASU, Members of the Parliamentary Committee on Education, and the Zambia National Education Coalition held a meeting with the Loans Board which revealed the plans by Government to include more universities on the student grants and scholarship scheme.

ZANASU Information and Publicity Secretary Assa Williey says the good gesture by government to extend the loan scheme to 1000 more students is highly commendable although they believe government can do more to ensure loans are accessed by all needy students of higher learning from both public and private universities.

Ms. Williey said Government must progressively move towards the provision of student loans and scholarships based on the need by students who come from marginalised, poor families and students living with disabilities as opposed to institution-specific.

“We believe the intention of Parliament when it enacted the HESLB Act No. 31 of 2016 was not to discriminate on students who must obtain loans but to ensure all students of higher learning from both public and private institutions get an equal opportunity to access these loans”, she added.

Ms. Williey said ZANASU will continue to advocate and lobby for increased funding for higher education.

“We shall therefore honour an invitation from the Parliamentary Committee on Education, Science and Technology to appear before it on Tuesday, 31st January, 2019 at 12:30 hours to interact and share its various positions on matters concerning students of higher learning. We encourage student unions from around Lusaka to attend this Committee hearing on matters which affect their members’ welfare”, Ms. Williey added.

Source: https://www.lusakatimes.com