Higher Education Loans Board awards over 600 students scholarships to attend Mukuba University in Kitwe

The Higher Education Loans Board has offered study loans to 601 first year students at Mukuba university following 1355 applications that were received. Higher Education Loans Board Chief Executive Officer Ireen Chirwa said the board received 1365 applicants and picked 601 from the eligible 1166 applicants.

Speaking at Mukuba University in Kitwe today during the orientation of first year students that have been awarded study loans, Ms. Chirwa said the awarding of the loans was done on merit and challenged the students to prove that they deserved the loans awarded to them.

She pointed out that the students will be required to pay back the loans to the board so that other vulnerable students can be sponsored in future.

“You must work hard so that you do not fail, take note that you will be required to pay for years that the board will sponsor you even if you do not complete your studies, the recovered money from former students is the money we are using to sponsor current students, so complete your studies and pay back with pride,” Ms. Chirwa implored

She added that poor performance will lead to the withdrawal of the sponsorship regardless of the reason a student was awarded the study loan.

And Ms. Chirwa warned that students who will be involved in riotous behaviour will have their sponsorship withdrawn.

And the students have thanked government for the loans awarded to them and pledged to pay back the loans

Englidy Mumba one of the students from Kasama said the scholarship will relieve her poor parents who could not afford to pay university fees.

“I am grateful to government for according me this opportunity to study, my parents would not have managed to sponsor me, I will also gladly pay back the loan once I complete my programme so that other students can benefit,” Ms. Mumba said.

Another student Regarin Mbewe called on government to increase the number of loans beneficiaries.

Ms. Mbewe noted that currently a lot of eligible students are left out due to limited funds from the loans board.