Education loans good for Uganda
EDITOR—The loan scheme to aid bright students who would otherwise not have joined institutions of higher learning, is a bright idea. Many such students are ‘grassing’ in villages because they could not afford tuition fees.
EDITOR—The loan scheme to aid bright students who would otherwise not have joined institutions of higher learning, is a bright idea. Many such students are ‘grassing’ in villages because they could not afford tuition fees. For a long time, higher education has been a preserve of the rich.
However, we hope the process remains transparent such that the money is not misused by those in charge. There is need for close supervision of the fund right from the start such that the scheme achieves its ultimate goal.
Carol Pekke
Kampala
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EDITOR—There are many questions about the loan scheme that the Government will soon unveil to university students. With the recent corruption cases in the Global Fund and NSSF, how sure are we that we are not about to lose big sums of money to unscrupulous officials? If the Government is determined to start this scheme, let it put in place measures to avoid corruption and nepotism that might hamper it.
Albert Matsiko
Kyambogo University
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EDITOR—The move by the education ministry to provide student loans for higher education is welcome. However, the Government should focus on students who will create jobs after school so that they are able to pay back the loans. Otherwise, the scheme will be another give-away and a waste of taxpayers’ money.
In view of the above, Government’s focus should be on technical schools and practical science courses since these produce job-creators.
Loans to science graduates would help them set up small businesses, hence creating more jobs. The world over, small businesses are the biggest employers and Uganda should not be an exception. Loans at reasonable interest rates (the banks’ interest rates are obscene and discourage investment), would make it easy for the beneficiaries to service them, while paying taxes, which the Government would then use to fund more students. It is a win-win situation. We need better planning in this country. It is high time we stopped addressing problems on a reactionary basis.
Juvinal Betambira
Kampala
However, we hope the process remains transparent such that the money is not misused by those in charge. There is need for close supervision of the fund right from the start such that the scheme achieves its ultimate goal.
Carol Pekke
Kampala
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EDITOR—There are many questions about the loan scheme that the Government will soon unveil to university students. With the recent corruption cases in the Global Fund and NSSF, how sure are we that we are not about to lose big sums of money to unscrupulous officials? If the Government is determined to start this scheme, let it put in place measures to avoid corruption and nepotism that might hamper it.
Albert Matsiko
Kyambogo University
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EDITOR—The move by the education ministry to provide student loans for higher education is welcome. However, the Government should focus on students who will create jobs after school so that they are able to pay back the loans. Otherwise, the scheme will be another give-away and a waste of taxpayers’ money.
In view of the above, Government’s focus should be on technical schools and practical science courses since these produce job-creators.
Loans to science graduates would help them set up small businesses, hence creating more jobs. The world over, small businesses are the biggest employers and Uganda should not be an exception. Loans at reasonable interest rates (the banks’ interest rates are obscene and discourage investment), would make it easy for the beneficiaries to service them, while paying taxes, which the Government would then use to fund more students. It is a win-win situation. We need better planning in this country. It is high time we stopped addressing problems on a reactionary basis.
Juvinal Betambira
Kampala