• HELSB should heighten its loan recovery program from former university students.
• The Board must deal with barriers to the loan facility to allow for new eligible students to access the loan scholarship.
• Eligible students that apply for the loan facility must be able to receive the support they need.

Zambia National Education Coalition (ZANEC) has advised the Higher Education, Loans and Scholarship Board (HELSB) to heighten its loan recovery program from former university students.
ZANEC Executive Director George Hamusunga said the Board must also deal with barriers to the loan facility so as to allow new eligible students to access the loan scholarship.
Mr. Hamusunga told Money FM News that the country must aspire to reach a level where every eligible student that applies for the loan facility will be able to receive the support they need without any challenges.
“This will ensure that the country is able to produce the higher-level skills that are necessary for driving national development and poverty alleviation.”
“The increased investment in higher education will go a long way in ensuring that vulnerable children who are benefiting from free education at ECE to Secondary school level have the opportunity to pursue higher education as well,” Mr. Hamusunga said.
Meanwhile, Mr. Hamusunga commended government for its decision to channel the K65 million and US$57,000 recently recovered from proceeds of crime towards provision of student loans and scholarships.
“More importantly, ZANEC is elated that this money will be utilized to provide student loans and scholarships to 2,242 applicants that were left out in the 2021/2022 academic year,” he stated.
He said it is ZANEC’s hope that government will continue to prioritize the education sector as it is the solution to the various challenges the country is facing.
On Wednesday, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) officially handed over K65 million and US$57, 000 recently recovered from Lusaka journalist, Faith Musonda to Ministry of Finance and National Planning.
And Minister of Finance and National Planning Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane said the resources will be channeled towards student loans and scholarships.