The ruling PF says students who got loans from the government have a moral and legal obligation to pay back.
This is after the Higher Education Authority issued a public notice last week that all former students who obtained loans from the Authority from 2014 upwards should start paying back this year at a 15 percent interest rate.
Many stakeholders and former students have since condemned the move saying there is no way they can pay back the loans since most of them are still unemployed after graduating.
PF Deputy Media Director Antonio Mwanza said it is illegal and immoral for students to fail to pay to pay back their loans.
“If you got a student loan, it is only morally and legally correct that you pay back. A loan is not a bursary. It must be paid back. The conditions of the loans and the repayment mode are very elaborate,” Mr Mwanza said.
Mr Mwanza who is also Former UNZASU President said the loan scheme was pushed by student leaders who realised how corrupt, limited and inaccessible the Bursary Scheme was.
“Many people couldn’t access bursaries due to insufficient funds from government, the overly – centralised nature of the Bursary and sheer corruption hence we who were concerned with giving every deserving student a right to education fought for the scrapping off of the Bursary and the introduction of the loans to increase access and stump out corruption,” he said.
He said student loans are a common and effective way of helping the larger constituent of students, access higher education hence it is the most practiced form of sponsorship the world over.
“Student loans are meant to act as revolving funds to help create opportunity and sponsorship for the next generation of students, hence those who get loans must repay to create for others the same opportunity Government created for them,” he said.
The government should write-off these loans and starting 2020, embark on giving actual student loans that are administered by the banks. These students got an education but most struggled to find employment, some are unemployed. The Zambian government has no capacity to collect these loans and are hoping that those students that report themselves can pay up. A write-off should be done for this and new loans under a new scheme introduced. The interest rate of 15% is immoral, the rate should be at 4% or so. These students still have to pay tax.
Its illegal for a country to get loans and fail to pay worse still steal the money and build mansions in eswatini.
Antonio don’t start with us pls.
Let the goverment provide employment for at least 50% of the graduates not those vigilante carders.
Forgive Antonio. he is trying to gain some relevance, and show his paymasters that he is worth the little money they give him, as well as appease his conscience, which am sure gnaws at him for his immoral conduct and lack of principles.
A loan is a loan…you were signing with a view of paying back. You were not forced to get that Loan but did it with your free will, so just pay in the same way —- with free will.
Pay back the Loan as you agreed to its terms.
What is even more immoral is for the President to still from its citizens. A president who failed to pay the nomination fee for the Presidential election only three years ago is now so rich beyond his wildest dreams. Lungu is a thief and a twat.
@Truth Hurts – How many of those students that signed for those loans were minors? Can you enforce a contract on them? Not to mention, it is never a crime not to pay an unsecured loan, the government assumed all the credit risk and default is normal. You need to understand finance. No one has gone to jail for failing to pay back a loan that was unsecured.
Charity Begins at HOME did the Ministers pay?? Why ask students. Forget its free Education and Part of Ibala.. Don’t pay let Corrupt PF leaders bring the Money they have stolen first.
How can one pay without employment after graduating. Imwe a Mwanza be serious with life. What will happen next then? Muzatimanga???
This Mwanza was at UNZA and he is spewing this nonsense…am sure interest is more than 10%APR on these loans.
Its illegal for a country to get loans and fail to pay worse still steal the money and build mansions in eswatini.
Antonio don’t start with us pls.
Let the goverment provide employment for at least 50% of the graduates not those vigilante carders.
Its illegal for a country to get loans and fail to pay worse still steal the money and build mansion.
Antonio don’t start with us pls.
Let the goverment provide employment for at least 50% of the graduates not those vigilante carders.
Kwena iwe Antonio Mwanza you are a real disappointment. Just because you now eat the crumbs from the master’s table you now have become myopic to the sufferings of the innocent person on the streets. Not long ago you were depending on the allowances from the Bursaries committee which you yourself have not even paid back. The courts ruled that ministers should pay back all allowances and salaries received while illegally in office but today not a penny has been returned. Most of those ministers are serving in the government as we speak while your young brothers and sisters are languishing in the compounds with no employment. As if that is not enough you want to kick them while they are down. This our government which we supported and campaigned for is doing everything in the true sense of…
Have the ministers paid back the money owed for salaries while illegal in office?
Ministers are supposed to lead by example but unfortunately the clowns we have in cabinet and parliament are mostly Grade 12 school leavers or diploma holders from Katondo Street college and to make matters easier for them Zambians are a docile people.
Zambian govt need to learn from developed countries…how can you just force anyone to pay at least have a limit or minimum salary threshold for example in UK its £21,000….my cousin for example pays who works in financial sector in Zambia pays over 30% PAYE and then 15% student loan…this is unacceptable 15% you are basically punishing them for going to university.
WHAT IS A LOAN ? JUST PAY.
The government should accept the risks of providing unsecured loans. By law, you cannot be jailed for defaulting on a loan. The bank has to accept the loss and improve their origination process. Mwitina baiche.
is this a hoax ,is this mr mwanza I knew unbelievable
Thats what a few coins of silver does to these foooools….this is the selfsame person who was calling for ministers to pay back but today he is quiet.
Just pay….its a loan..its a revolving fund..it will help oothers..Dont blame Mr Mwanza..let us be responsible
Its clear you dont know how it works…if you work in the formal sector the loan is deducted automatically from your pay like paye!!
Back back? Proper LT
“It’s illegal and immoral for students to fail to back back their student loans- Antonio Mwanza”
What a statement. Might aswell say it is illegal or immoral to be poor since most of them have the qualifications but they just don’t own a payroll.
In Germany for example, a country with an employment rate of close to 97%, students will be given enough time (at least 5 yrs) to find a job before they get notice from the authorities that they must start paying back state loans. The procedure of repayment and the installment amount will also differ according to the payroll.
This opportunist Antonio Mwanza, if he was still in the opposition he could have been the one singing the loudest telling Ministers to pay back what they got illegally in the run up to the 2016 polls. Antonio gather some courage and go straight to the Minister of higher education herself and tell her to pay back what she got illegally. Nothing like the matter is in court, the concourt that delivered that judgement is the final judge. Nowhere else to appeal. Minsters just pay back
This opportunist Antonio Mwanza let him tell the PF ministers to pay back what they illegally got in the run up to the 2016 elections. Do not apply double standards here
Let the students pay back. No one is being duped here, they signed after reading the terms and conditions. Only those in gainful employment, private or civil service, will begin to pay back. Think of the next generation, who equally need sponsorship from govt.
Govt’s long term objective is to build reserves and extend the same loan scheme to students in private universities, who equally need financial assistance to earn quality education.
A loan is meant to be paid. So there is no need for discussions or public announcements. The department that gave out loans knows who they gave these loans to & who signed for the loan. So pursue them. Those who are working can start paying. Those who are not yet working can be made to sign an affidavit to that effect. Thats all, no need for debates
Antonio; 1. PF Ministers must first repay the monies. 2. Tell us who is paying you a salary for telling us things you do not believe in 3. Ministry of Finance must declare the skills and development funds they extorted from the private companies. Then we shall discuss how former students can contribute
ALL THE *****S MUST JUST PAY BACK AND STOP CONDEMNING THE THINGS YOU KNOW. WHO TOLD YOU ITS GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITY TO GIVE JOBS AND HOW DULL ARE YOU THAT YOU FORGET THAT A LOAN IS PAYABLE WITH INTEREST.
ANY CRIMINAL WHO FAILS TO PAY AS AGREED , THE MINISTRY MUST SUSPEND THEIR CERTIFICATES AND BLACKLIST THEM.
kkkkkkkk “SUSPEND THEIR CERTIFICATES AND BLACKLIST THEM”. @Concerned citizen, are you normal? Did we buy or borrow our brains? Most likely you are a drop-out.
Student loan repayments should be mangaed via ZRA. Only students in employement or running a business should repay the student loan. In the UK any only people earning £1,750 (K22,750) per month must pay back.
Why do students have student debt? They don’t have jobs, so why should they be in debt?
Education has to be paid from taxes, right through college.
And taxes on foreign corporations for instance should reflect that. The corporations are presented with an educated workforce, for free. They don’t have to educate people, so why should they benefit from public education, without paying taxes?
GRZ just effect the deduction at source. They have to pay back so that their brothers and sisters also benefit.
GRZ knows it does not have the capability to collect these loans. Students get lost in the system once they leave and stay unemployed for years. This process will be so flawed that even people that have never been to these universities but have similar names to them may be charged. Student loans should not be undertaken by the government but by private banks and guaranteed by the government, that is the best way to approach this.
Desperate times call for desperate measures. Yes, student are obliged by law to pay back however this should be handled on case by case basis where for those who are not working need to renegotiate and come up with a flexible and individual specific repayment plan. In my time, bursaries was 100% with good monthly meal allowance, Book allowances, Project Allowances, Accommodation allowance others services included cleaning rooms, warm water especially in AFRICA Hostel etc. I completed my final exam in Nov/Dec, the following January i was employed. With a serious government, this dream is possible especially at UNZA and Copperbelt university.
It’s a pity that UNZA has been full of religious students from the Chiluba times. If Antonio had said this during our time, we would have organized our small groups, locate him and beat the hell out of his muggot infested dunderhead! There is enough money in Zambia for every Zambian to enjoy FREE UNZA education if only the thieving politicians can stop stealing and wasting our money! If we walked bare foot to school during our time, we should work hard and make our children’s situation better! The $42Million Fire Tenders tell us Zambia has money! The FIC report tells us Zambia has enough money to be stolen! Fire Nkandu Luo as she is messing up Higher Learning Institutions! She should be the first to pay for illegally staying in office when her sit was nullified!
There is enough money in Zambia for every Zambian to enjoy FREE UNZA education if only the thieving politicians can stop stealing and wasting our money! If we walked bare foot to school during our time, we should work hard and make our children’s situation better! The $42Million Fire Tenders tell us Zambia has money! The FIC report tells us Zambia has enough money to be stolen! Fire Nkandu Luo as she is messing up Higher Learning Institutions! She should be the first to pay for illegally staying in office when her sit was nullified!
What Antonio forgets is Education is a human rights issue and not a privilege!
We pay Taxes so that every child in Zambia should not be hindered by cost but that all should attain Tertiary education just like it was during the times of KK! Don’t tell us there is no money! Our country is very rich except it is poorly managed by the least deserving to lead! The best development you can give a country is not roads and buildings! Human Resource Development will take care of ifikulwa! An educated nation is a Safe nation!
It’s only immoral to leave the well known ministers who we all know stayed in office illegaly . Graduates are not aginst the idea of paying back but let the lack responsibility on the PF , coupled with the fear that when the money is paid back it will be used to build house by these corrupt elements saving in Govt.Let the ministers lead by example by paying back the moneys they received illegaly
THE WORLD GOES ROUND
What is a loan?let them pay so that other students can also benefit since its a revolving fund.deliberate failure to pay back will deny other would be beneficiries a chance.
Antonio, can you please clarify if it is illegal and immoral for the PF Ministers not to comply with the Ruling of the Constitutional Court to repay ILLEGAL EMOLUMENTS they received contrary to the Law?