The country’s newly established Higher Education Students’ Loans and Grant Board (HESLGB) is geared to rescue needy students with grants for securing space in public and private universities across the nation in the 2015/2016 financial year.
The board which was instituted under the an Act of Parliament No.2 of 2015 in a bid to provide high education loans and grants to needy students plans to disburse M1.5 billion for this fiscal year.
The development also comes amid the board’s intentions to recover outstanding loans that were granted to former students under student’s loans schemes which were introduced in the 1985/1986 until the commencement of the Higher Educations Students’ Loans and Grants Act amounting to MK2 billion.
The board has just started its functions on Wednesday, August 12, 2015 with Malawi Universities Development Programme as acting board’s secretariat in ensuring that its duties are carried effectively and efficiently.
In an exclusive interview with The Maravi Post on Thursday, August 13, 2015, in the capital Lilongwe, Geoffrey Chipungu, HESLGB’s Chairperson assured the nation of the board’ stay to serve needy students with independence from political interference.
Chipungu emphasized the need for students to understand clearly criteria of acquiring loans saying equal chances would be given to both public and private accredited universities with programmes such that quarter system won’t apply to disbursement of loans and grants.
“According to section 24 (a) (b) of the Higher Education Students Loans and Grants Act, the student shall be eligible for loans and grants if the student is a Malawian who has been admitted to pursue an accredited higher education programme and institution, and has no financial assistance from any other source to cover the items of cost for which the application is made.
“To this effect, the board has liaised with the National Council for Higher Education on information about institutions and programmes that are accredited. Note should be take that some institutions are accredited but they have some programmes which haven’t been accredited. Thus, needy students pursuing and admitted into unaccredited programmes aren’t eligible to apply for either the loans or grants”, explains Chipungu.
The board Chairperson added that fresh applications have to be made from students whose loan applications for fees and stationery were approved but they received money for stationery only in the 2014/2015 academic year.
“Since the board has just started it work, all students will have to make fresh applications to us following their assessment using the criteria outlined in the application forms. There won’t be payment of arrears as such it has to be noted that students who initially were applying for loans were from public universities only but this time the board will also be receiving applications from private universities.
The board is aware of some students who did not qualify for the 2014/2015 loans appealed against the decision. If such students still think they are needy can reapply for the loans and if they qualify will be considered.
“The board wishes to inform all the students and stakeholders that issues of registration are in the hands of the respective universities and colleges. We don’t have any mandate over how registration is done therefore the board wont interfere with how institutions of higher learning run their business. Students need to know that applying for the loans or grants doesn’t mean will automatically qualify for it as limited funds are to be disbursed amongst all the qualifying needy students only.
“Thus, board wishes to appeal to well meaningful individuals and organizations to complement higher education student’s loans and grants fund by supporting needy students in various institutions of higher learning”, urges Chipungu.
