The higher education students’ financing board shall this academic year 2016/17 provide loans and scholarships to at least 1,334 students.
Addressing the media in Kampala this morning, Rev. Fr. Prof. Callisto Locheng, the board chairperson explained that currently, the number is 1,191 but shall increase to 1,334 after awarding loans to diploma students pursuing their studies at other tertiary institutions.
The Higher Education students’ Financing Board was established by an Act of Parliament No.2 of 2014 to provide loans and scholarships to eligible citizens of Uganda to enable them access to higher education at affordable rates and equitable access to Higher Education in the country.
Fr. Locheng told the State Minister for Higher Education John Chrysostom Muyingo at Media center that to-date, 3,665 students have been awarded loans in various Universities and other Tertiary Institutions.
Through an application program which run for 3 months, from May to August 2016, the Board received at total of 3,575 applications through centenary bank. Of these, 2,700 are male, while 875 are female.
“The Board received applications from all the Districts apart from Amudat and Kaabong. I am happy to report that all districts from which we received applications have successful loan applicants” said Fr. Locheng.
He however revealed that the successful loan applicants are 1,191 (33%) for both Degrees and Diplomas. “This number will increase to 1,334 after the award of Loans to students pursuing Diplomas in other Tertiary institutions. Overall, of the 1,191 successful applicants, 834 (70%) are male while 357 (30%) are female.”
Minister Muyingo congratulated the board and all successful applicants for the third cohort, and called upon the students to use well tax payers money and serve their country instead of running away to foreign countries after.
