John Chrysostom Muyingo, State Minister for Higher Education, has urged recipients of student loans to take their academic work seriously in order to excel and secure better job opportunities.
Muyingo emphasized that strong academic performance will not only lead to better employment prospects but also enable students to repay their loans, ensuring that future generations can benefit from the same financial support.
“These are loans, not grants or bursaries, and they must be repaid to create a revolving fund so that more students in need can benefit,” Muyingo stated during the announcement of the eleventh cohort of loan beneficiaries on Wednesday.
He explained that the selection of recipients was based on the District Quota system, with 60% of the loan offers equitably distributed across the 137 districts in Uganda, in collaboration with Members of Parliament.
Muyingo also praised the Higher Education Students’ Financing Board (HESFB) for its inclusion of people with disabilities in the loan program, noting that affirmative action efforts have made it easier for students with disabilities to pursue degrees in various science fields despite their challenges.
Since 2014, the government has used the student loan program to address Sustainable Development Goal 4, providing financial aid to disadvantaged students pursuing undergraduate and diploma programs. A total of 16,439 students have since benefited from the scheme so far.
Michael Wanyama, Executive Director of the HESFB, shared that in the 2023/24 financial year, the board received 6,661 applications but could only fund 1,838 students within its resource limit of UGX 7.25 billion.
Wanyama emphasized that the board ensures regional balance, gender equity, and socioeconomic consideration in accordance with its 2014 mandate.
“This year, 40% of applicants were evaluated based on a uniform scorecard that uses proxy indicators, while 30% were selected through district quotas and another 30% based on the proportion of applications per district,” Wanyama said.
Dr. Charles Wana-Etyem, Chairperson of the HESFB, noted that the number of institutions benefiting from the scheme has increased as more universities attain charter status, making them eligible to participate in the program.
He also clarified that the loans cover tuition, functional and research fees, as well as aids and appliances for students with disabilities.
“Funds are disbursed directly to the tertiary institutions, not to the beneficiaries,” Dr. Wana-Etyem added.
Of the successful applicants, 57% (1,048) are male and 43% (790) are female, representing a 27.6% success rate for all applications received this year. A total of 1,372 students will pursue undergraduate degrees, while 466 will enroll in diploma programs.
