Embrace students' loan scheme

trueBy Edward Anyoli

The Government has approved students’ loan scheme to universities. For now only science students are considered.

The loan scheme is timely move that can help poor students to enhance their education especially during this hard time when parents are grappling with huge burden of educating their children.

It is also good news because this means there will be steady progress and considerable improvement in our education system. There have been perennial complaints from parents about fees increment and strikes every now and then over tuition.

Since the loan currently will target science students, this is the time parents should encourage their children to pick interests in science subjects other than concentrating only on Arts.

However, they should not also ignore the Arts subject because they are equally important and there is no empirical evidence to show that Arts courses are not marketable.

This loan scheme aims at increasing equitable access to higher education, support the underprivileged students and ensure there is regional balance in higher education.

Students’Loan scheme, for tertiary was launched by President in April this year and a total of 1,269 students have become the latest beneficiaries.

This loan scheme caters for both public and private University. This is a big opportunity that parents and students should embrace and receive with open hands.

Extending loans to students is the first of its kind in Uganda other African Countries such Ghana, South African, Kenya, Zambia and Tanzania are also implementing their students loan scheme.

Uganda is the latest country to adopt this initiative it should therefore learn from some of these countries in order to better and improve this sector where other pioneers seem to have failed.

It should be noted that all countries that have achieved transformation have harnessed the importance of both science and arts discipline.

The student’s loan scheme is a government initiative where eligible Ugandan students are given loans to pursue higher education at universities accredited by the Council for High Education.

We might have our misgivings about government plans to introduce this kind of  venture but sometimes we never give the implementers  chance to improve such initiatives and allow them to serve us.

Experience has shown that science subjects are being neglected, this could be another way of promoting sciences otherwise the country will soon run short of scientists.

Even though it is a good initiative the number is still very low compared to those who would want to pursue career in education through this scheme and pay later.

The affluent children will benefit more from this scheme than their counterparts in rural areas because their parents can afford to take them to good schools subsequently obtain the required grade.
Students who study in rural schools will be disadvantage.

The problem rural schools face is lack of resources and sometimes inadequate specialised training on the part of teachers to squarely deal with these challenges.

Considering the difficulties up countries schools go through such as poor learning environment, it may not, in the short run, be sustainable. In fact, it is likely to be exclusive to a few students who can afford good schools.

In addition, youth unemployment is the biggest problems confronting all the East African Countries. Many in the region are unable to find meaningful work due to myriad bottlenecks.The question therefore is, how will students refund this money without jobs? What other criteria is there to ensure that this money advanced to student is paid back?

There is the issue of overreliance giving priority to science students only, thereby compromising and alienating the importance of Arts yet it is through arts that we get policy makers.

Government must closely monitor students who are to benefit from this scheme and should stick to the objectives of this scheme.

Although this might be a big relief to many parents and this will improve on the education system and also giving chance to those who cannot afford decent education, uncertainties and risks also exit as far as this scheme is concerned.

This loan scheme was given to science students on grounds that economic growth is hinged on science.

The promoters of this scheme might have thought that agriculture and other branches of science need to be developed because it is the backbone of the economy.

But without capacity for innovation what are the chances that this loan will be recovered. How will those students who received this loan be tracked?

This scheme is unfair, inequitable and unreasonable because there is no evidence to suggest that arts courses are useless and those who pursue them cannot get gainful employment. Sciences are essential but it is unreasoble to ignore other courses.

The way forward could be instead of giving loans to students, why can’t the government create more jobs. But the crucial point here is, even if you do not get a job after school at least you are a better person because education enlightens individuals.

Given that corruption has become so endemic in Uganda there should be strategic plans and to ensure that we avoid unnecessary inflated costs of this scheme.

It does not take a rocket scientist to work the immense benefits that will come with improved standards of education. But we should not be blind to the fact that if developments are to take place we need to be patient.

Government needs to  do more sensitisations about this venture and also draw the line making it clear what it will or will not tolerate.

Already from the look of things through government efforts many students welcomed this initiative There might different interests at play such as political favour but no decent parents can fail to support this loan scheme.

Success is achieved only when responsible people unite to vehemently oppose the detractors.
There is need for leaders to hold each other accountable on resolving bottlenecks that keep young people unproductive and to regularly engage with them on progress and availability of new opportunities.

Student loan scheme is just the beginning the youth can benefit from this government in terms of investments.

Edward Anyoli is a journalist