The bursary scheme for higher learning Institutions will soon be phased out because of serious flaws in the way the current scheme is being administered.
The government will in its place introduce a loan scheme which beneficiaries will have to pay back to government after their training.
Education Minister John Phiri says the current system does not meet the expectations of the general public and does not benefit vulnerable students.
The minister told ZNBC news that the Loan Authority Scheme will also benefit in-service students.
The Loan Authority Scheme is expected to be tabled in the next sitting of parliament.
ZNBC
More money in your pockets!
Pliz make sure the new arrangement does not end up like the CEEC
Long over due. Tackle the sector training policy also. too much of the same people benefiting leaving the most deserving poor. How does a minister’s child or qualify for 100% bursary and later flops?!!!
indeed more money in the pockets of students ..ooops ..it is a student loan and it has to be repaid back. I thought the PF manifesto mentioned free education all the way ..anyway another promise broken ..who cares anyway and any more after all not Kaponyas go for higher education
come on chief bootlicker you are better than this.This is a progressive move man
I thot you were the only sane individual on this site.Kanshi tata mulichinangwafye ? Too bad.
You a “ful” indeed you have your private interests . You dont make sense just you know.
But it is true that PF promised free education free medical services free this free that and I think everyone has the right to question and wonder
Free education was indeed promised and leaves one to wonder how the PF Govt is turning around on their promises!
be realistic and like an intellectual!!!!!!!!!!
yeah i strong second with you sir, who cares. sata and pf are just destroying Zambia’s future.
Great news for the youth who voted for this govt. More money in the pocket for them indeed. I hope the loans will accrue interest too. On the other hand, they can just refuse to pay back like those who owe K14 billion have done.
for the first time something really progressive has come from PF. this is the correct thing.
The PF need to create jobs or an enabling environment so that when students graduate can py back the loan otherwise,it might end up as bad loans and write thm off.MAKE SURE THEY SIGN PERSONNAL GUARANTEE.
How is that more money in the pockets,from a bursary to a loan? Just going in circles,only the connected families will have access to the loans.
I think its better because only rich kids benefit from the bursary scheme.
how much r u goin to give me?if i apply for 14 billion lik fred n nchito,il u forget about it lik the way u did to them.lolololololo,more money in my pocket
Welcome to 21st century. scrap the bursaries bullshit.
Student loans will mature Zambians who hound relatives for school fees. I am tired of those phone calls. I work very hard and I dont like to dish out free money.
I thought that system started in 2008
Imwe ba Chimbwi No Plan, the current bursary system is actually a loan which is supposed to be paid back once you find a job. Just implement the system properly and let it benefit the under privileged.
And you call others ba chimbwi. Your ignorance amazes me.
Since when did the bursaries turn into loans? I remember getting a bursary in 1988-89 during my high school years, and no one told me I had to pay back the money, nor has one tried to collect as debt!! So ba Kabova, emwe ba Chimbwi NO Knowledge!!!!!
Yambayamba – you should pay back that bursary.
Chimbwi No Knowledge,,,given your definition–its time you paid back ….
Good move…! If only it can be implemented properly, and fairly!
i don’t think the issue of loans will resolve anything. Its the process of giving these scholarships that leaves a lot to be desired. The Minister should have been talking about how to make the process more transparent otherwise its the vulnerable that will suffer again. I m ready to continue paying PAYE as long its being used properly. Imagine after graduating, you have to start thinking about paying a loan and on top of that PAYE as well.Govt has a responsibilty to provide social services like health and education. He needed to suggest on bringing on board other players like mines as a CSR
What became of the revelation that the 2 billion Kwacha rich son of one former minister under MMD was actually on a government bursary?
Everything in Zambia has flaws but the worst of all was busary system which insteady of benefiting the less privaraged was for the the rich and influencial. The loan system has it’s own weaknesses but handled properly can go an extra kilo. I love your idea mr Minister. Go ahead iam the parliament.
Most sensible statement from Mr. Phiri. This is long overdue and should be implemented quickly.
This is very progressive and what is in place in developed countries. Loans is the best way because as they are paid back it makes the whole scheme sustainable. What GRZ now has to put in place are well defined and organised structures and mechanisms of running the scheme and making sure that repayments are made.
WITHOUT JOBS ,HOW DO U PAYBACH
Lets see how unemployed graduates will pay back…
this is not more money in the pocket but its putting responsibility on students not tax payers as a whole and more importantly this is sustainable. our universities/colleges will finally start being paid directly by students instead of gov who 95% of the time didn’t pay tution fees
i believ everyone at UNZA from 2008 is on a loan not busary..the problem as with most things shall be implementation…………with high levels of unemplyment the loan repayment will not be able to cover future students
@ Madonga… do your research before commenting. The issue with the scholarship / bursary system was coverage.. Over the years less than 20% of all 1st year qualifying applicants were awarded any scholarship whether,25% (majority), 50% or 100%(very few) scholarship. The next 10% were awarded. The rest had to look for the money to pay for Fees desptie acceptance. If the failed to find cash, tough bananas. That why @10 Numbian Princess was complaining. The situation ended up as follows for UNZA for instance. UNZA enrols not less than 3,000 students per year. Less that half of those would have earned a scholarship %ge of some sort. The other 1,500 found the money to pay at the expense of brighter, smarter kids from poor homes. The fortune KK gave our parents who hailed from villages.
Really it is a good move . Let student pay for themselves, no more asking me for cash since I and the student will have a salary. Great relief PF. But implement it prperly so that all including your children should pay back the loan.
Bursaries was meant for students who had no means to pay college education, this happens even in the first world as scholarships, unfortunately it has been abused and the greedy rich ones still get multiple bursaries for their children. We can not stop them now because there are more poor people in Zambia than during the time of KK when we all got one of these scholarships, will always respect KK for that. HH please get into state house and show the PF that education is the right direction to Economic Development that we are all yearning for.
Gunwa walasa ,that’s a point
@19 Ichigo… There’s no GRADUATE in Zambia that roams the street. Every graduate finds work at some time be it 1 , 2 or 3 post qualification. Unemployment is not with the graduates but the Non / Under qualified citizens .. those with no training or skills.
agreed.. same all over the world. especially if u r black in a european country… u first have to do all sorts of odd jobs
The bone of contention here is “Are the loans going to adress the plight of the bright and poor students?” If this question is not answered, the students from rich families who can afford to pay wil continue benefiting at the expense of the poor and brilliant students. Focus should be centred on creating a transparent and more accountable process of awarding these loans to the vulnerable. Otherwise, it wil be a thing of going in circles.
where does free education fit in here..?yaba..lack of planning
Practically there is no free education , someone pays the bills.
Very progressive indeed … now we are going to have really serious students, not those running to the street to demonstrate on anything. They will learn to put their money where their mouths are. Long overdue ….
#s 19 and 20 NO JOB NO REPAY. A GRADUATE ONLY STARTS TO PAY BACK THE LOAN WHEN HE/SHE GETS EMPLOYED. THE LOAN SYSTEM IS EVERYWHERE IN DEVELOPED COUNTRIES. IT INSTILLS DESCIPLINE, MATURITY AND RESPONSIBILITY ON A STUDENT/GRADUATE. ONE DOESN’T NEED TO HAVE MONEY TO BORROW. ONE OF THE BEST IDEAS. GO AHEAD PF.
Ba MMD chief Bootlicker, chizungu mwapwanya, there is no such a word combination as ‘repaid back’. Repeatation baba. Good news though, with good implementation, this thing might work.
THIS IS IN FACT INDIRECTLY MORE MONEY IN THE POCKETS OF PARENTS/GUARDIANS WHO WILL CHANNEL THEIR FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES SUCH AS MORE FOOD ON THE TABLE. TWALYA AGAIN.
More money in your pocket. Donchi Kubeba. Ukwa did not say these things during campaign,
There we go again. Copying something from abroad that can never work. Student loans work in developed countries with over 90% employment rate and a good database. With less than 60% of people in formal employment and no jobs, how are our kids going to payback the loans. And with no proper record keeping and database, how are the loaners going to track down the loanees? Good pirated idea John Phiri but think about how much money will be lost when most of these kids are unemployed for over 10 years.
Very true my man. Chaps doing a copy and paste policy shift. In any case wasnt this tried a few years ago??
Not every graduate say in the UK, get their desired jobs hence end up in mediocre low-paying bar jobs or worst in these austere times unemployed.
In fact, loans can be a burden after graduation. We need to seriously ask graduates in USA.
Nice one if properly implemented.This is how some of us have managed to get education in the western world.It is all about paying back…a tit for tat situation.
I don’t understand what people are celebrating about with the so called mo money in one’s pocket. Bursary scheme was the best but its management was compromised by greedy people. The loan scheme will bond students and can only work well in an economy where jobs are guaranted. How will the loans be paid back when most students will be loafers? It remains to be seen how this will help students.
A lot of bursaries were awarded to Zambians by ZCCM and condition was to come work for ZCCM. How many people came back? Many decided to stay abroad or came back and resigned and left. If ZCCM could not manage to hold people to work or pay how can GRZ do it..
What a waste of time…. unemployment is over 50% how are the student going to pay back. Like one blogger has said. Its nice to see things working abroad and think the can work in Zambia.
Ba Chimbwi no plan
This is a fair way to go. The loans are redeemed once one gets a decent job as the case in most countries. The other way is to write a scholarship exam and only the best are given the scholarship.This is how People like Clinton and Obama got their education at the best university in USA. How ever I feel the loan system will be more suitable in the zambia
These PF guys have no vision for Zambia. One can see that there is a serious shortage of strategic thinkers in this govt. I rest my case
Another fine idea from Europe.
This is already done. I remember we had to sign some forms. If you check the scheme now it says Loan only that there is no mechanism to get the money back. I am sure there are a lot more like me in diaspora… Lets all payback (especially those in diaspora)… All those that graduated in the last 12 years know what i am talking about.
Brilliant step forward as this is designed to help students pay for university tuition, books, and living expenses. It differs from other types of loans in that the interest rate is substantially lower and the repayment schedule is deferred while the student is still in education.
I’m more concerned about the company that would be managing these loan schemes, an independent professional quasi government institution would be more appropriate.
OK this is a very good move but how are GRZ going to recover the money knowing that Zed people will steel at any given opportunity. I hope they can come up with a good tracking system
Very good and progressive idea!! It is long, long over due but that does not matter so long the new scheme can be implemented in a good order. Wishing you ALL the best.
hope it will benefit both parties.
Agony is having to service a loan as an unemployed graduate.
A lot of these students wont have jobs after they graduate, a lot will die due to HIV. People are poor as it is, all that tax money collected by govt should be used to bennefit people with talent and potential not enslave them.
So far, this is the only progressive step that PF has taken since coming in to power. This move is long overdue. I hope the PF government will channel these loans through well established financial institutions such as ZANACO, Barclays Bank and Stanchart among others. These loans will be backed by the government security therefore; tax payers money. PF should ensure that it creates employment for graduates to have the ability to repay the loans. However, with high mortality rate among the youth in Zambia due to HIV/AIDS, very few loans will be repaid. This is a positive step and PF must be congratulated for this move. Education was losing value and meaning in Zambia. It is about time employers respected qualified people. Thumbs up PF!
The adminsitrative challenges in the bursary scheme shall follow the loans scheme. When shall we learn to deal with the causes and not effects.
How will these loans be repaid when you have no capacity to employ these graduates and furthermore, how will you recover loans from those who will not make it to the graduation podium and lastly, how will you recover loans from those who will find jobs in other countries? Before, the Govt rushes to introduce this Authority, first come up with a strategic plan that will answer and lay out modalities of both loaning process and loan recovery process. Considering that even now, the disadvantaged students do not get these bursaries, introducing these loans will now be putting the final nail on the coffins of the poor families what with all the requirements that may be required in the long run. God help the poor Zambians because now it will be ” each one for himself and God for us all.”
Yes, indeed long overdue. Great move by government!
Long overdue ! Pheeeewww
Good move but monitor those who will go into diaspora and make sure that they keep repaying their loan while overseas. another move which is overdue is to remove vendors from the streets. but has sata got a plan to remove people from the streets?
This is a great Idea. It should be one of main ideas that shift responsibility to the citizen. I work in a similar system right now so maybe I can say something about this. This idea can work only if we computerize 100% the NRC number.We can use this system to create a credit system of which can track anyone who wants to be involved in the government. We also need to improve the quality of education in government institutions. Instead of barring money in the back yard we need people with investment into the economy, good idea from all corners of Zambia. Instead of hiding behind insults and bad mouthing each other. let us have a forward conversation.
this was introduced in 2003, plans are made and without being implimented.
i think its a good move because how many people has GRZ educated only for them to go service other government abroad with their qualifications. Its a very good move.
What was wrong wth the bursaries, and which people have been brought to book. HH must start anaudit of all bursaries and who received them when he comes into power. This is another scandal- why they hurry to rush away from it, instead of fixing it. Where does that leave poor families. Which country is in this world does not have educational scholarships.
Good move! But Govt should come up with a way of making everyone who went through tertiary education to pay back somehow. An independent body like zanaco should be used. I will be the first one to pay back if I am assured that the system wont fail after a short while.
Truthly speaking, our Education standards have really gone down and i take this opportunity to also add a voice to all those vulnerable and voiceless students who do not have anywhere to touch. the recent increase in the first years tuition fees is a clear indication that the UNZA management have failed to deliver proper services to its students hence trying to make an income generating activity out of students. I totally agree with Honorable Phiri for his pronouncements on the squashing of the current bursary system as it only benefits the already upper mwambas who do not give it a damn what the other students are going through. Our hope and prayer is that this new system Honorable Phiri is trying to introduce will surely carter for the helpless students.
Let every one who has been trained by government start paying back . The minister should lead by example and all those succesful people in parastatals as well the private sector. We can do this buy sponsoring atleast one student. It can be your ralative or any other person if you dont have a relative to sponsor.
This is a PF (Progressive, Forward-looking) idea!! Student loans will free a lot of resources for parents and relatives in Zambia and abroad. Parents will now concentrate on saving for prosperity and for their retirement. A lot of families are currently in miserable positions because all their family fortunes have been locked up (some for good) in the education of their children.
Student loans will broaden the support base. It will encourage responsibility in the students themselves as they will no longer be able to blame their poor parents for not affording them the opportunity to do their best. Students will learn to manage their resources responsibly early in their career. They will be forced to start planning before they are thrown into the real world.
Let’s hope for a good future.
GOOD IDEA, LONG OVERDUE, THIS IS THE WAY TO GO. moh SHOULD ALSO START SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING INSURANCE FOR PRESCRIPTION DRUGS, I LIKE THE CANADIAN MODEL OF HEALTH CARE, IT IS CLEAR NO GVT CAN PROVIDE 100% FREE HEALTH CARE,ITS JUST NOT POSSIBLE.
The first thing is ensuring that people have jobs! It may sound juicy now but gvt can be at serious risk of losing funds on a large scale..there is a poor tracking system in Zambia and how will they ensure that a loan is paid back when even backs fail to follow up the few that have received loans and defualt? Look at the CEEC! Its a disaster! How much has been recovered?
IT’S ALL RHETORIC. THEY WONT EVEN MANAGE TO GET BACK THE CASH ! HEHE
TEACH THEM YOUTH THE LESSON ! WE TOLD THEM NOT TO VOTE FOR YOU ! PA FWAKAs UKWAnites ! hehe
GOOD IDEA ,BUT HOW WILL THE LOAN BE REPAID GIVEN THE CURRENT LEVELS OF UNEMPLOYMENT AND POVERTY? IS THE LOAN SCHEME FOR THOSE THAT CAN`T AFFORD TO PAY, THE VULNERABLE STUDENTS, OR EVERY ONE? DOES THE EXISITING HOUSEHOLD INCOME SUPPORT THE ASSUMPTIONS?
Given the low household income levels in our communities, the honerable minister can consider taking to parliament a proposal to introduce an educational levy which can be charged on certain services and collected by the service provider.For example educational levy can be charged on airtime bought by subscribers connected to all mobile network systems and paid over to the government to cover the bursaries.Actually the PF government can even offer free education if the education levy was introduced.I WOULDN`T MIND PAYING THE EDUCATION LEVY ON MY AIRTIME.
the current bursary scheme is basically a loan scheme. when recieving mine, i had to agree to pay it back. there is no need to waste resources changing the system. fix the current one. stop giving bursaries to people who dont need them. why should a person from a well to do family recieve 100% while someone who sleeps hungry should get 25%? or worse yet, nothing… and impliment systems for recovering that money. perhaps some of those unemployed graduates can work something out.
Long over due even the developed world has loans not bursaries.Now what happens if one does not get a job and falls to pay back?
At last the Govt will do something reasonable 4 the youths.After giving a loan u can let the graduate do even national service for atleast 6 months as pay back depending on how much was grated let evryone one benefit even those studying outside the country.
well,it makes scense, if alot of zanbians will have access to highier education.as compered to the limited number of buseries that are offered.
Good idea PF !! citizens need not worry about the repayment. coz the laws will be such that a Lonee’s first paylips will show ‘loan repayment.(….)’ meaning it is between gorverment and the employer. Or if you want to exit zambia, your passport swip should show ‘unsuccessiful’ but successiful if the employing company abroad has complited repayment arrangements. the data base to be formed will not be a joke or allow any loopholes. infact i would like to work for the loan monitoring team in order to benefit all,which has been long overdue.