Monday, February 4, 2013

MPs to raise more funds for students

The government has been tasked to come up with a Bill to amend the Education Fund Act and Higher Education Students’ Loan Board Act, so as to find sustainable means of increasing funds in the higher education sector in the country.
Speaker of the National Assembly, Anne Makinda made the directives here yesterday when summing up the debate on a private motion tabled by Iramba East MP, Mwigulu Nchemba who proposed the need for the government to come up with more Higher Education Fund.
She said MPs have agreed that the government should come up with the stated Bill in an effort to generate more funds to cutter for the increasing demand of funds by students pursuing different courses in the country.
“All MPs here have agreed to ensure that the Bill comes up in this debating chamber for debate before becoming a law,” she said, adding that the Bill will play an imperative role in ensuring that Tanzanian students access loans.
Presenting the government’s motion, Education and Vocational Training Minister, Dr Shukuru Kawambwa agreed to bring the proposed Bill in the House as stated by the lawmaker in his private motion.
He revealed that amendments will include the Education Fund Act no. 8 of 2001, and the Higher Education Students’ Loans Board Act no.9. Cap. 178 so as to include recommendations made by the special committee of the ministry and that of Iramba West MP.
The minister agreed on the proposed strategies to establish the fund that will be tailored with some banking components as well as with some of the proposed sources of funds such as education bonds, issuing loans with interest rates and imposing some taxes for mobile phone users.

“All these measures are geared to boost the education fund to assist students pursuing different courses in higher learning institutions,” Dr Kawambwa said.
In his motion, Nchemba asked the government to come up with a Bill that would establish the education fund. “The law will point out where the money to improve the fund would come from,” he said, while showing his concern over the increasing number of students wishing to join higher learning institutions.
“Our children pursuing higher education are in trouble because of the current system of issuing loans. That is why I think it is important to have a system that assures students to get 100 percent loans, contrary to this system,” he said.
Irrespective of their political differences, MPs concurred with the MP’s private motion because of its timeliness.
Margaret Sitta, (Speacial Seats, CCM) commended the motion saying, “This will make students do better in their studies as some students spend most of their time at the Higher Education Students’ Loan Board looking for loans.”
She also noted that the move will also give room for students to study what they want as some of them end up pursuing some courses just to get loans.
Mbozi West MP, David Silinde (Chadema) said that the establishment of the fund also needs to go hand in hand with giving it teeth to easily recover the loans.
Ludewa lawmaker, Deo Filikunjombe (CCM) asked Tanzanians to use the opportunity to start contributing to education sector as they do for wedding ceremonies.
“We need to inculcate a habit of contributing to education,” he said, adding that loans demand for students have been mounting every year, posing a serious threat to the sustainability of higher education in Tanzania.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

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