The Sense Behind the Recent UDSM Students’ Strike
- Category: Education
- Date 24-09-2006
- 308 views
The State cannot evade culpability for the recent demonstration by the students at the University of Dar es Salaam over delayed student loans. A week ago, the greenhorns of the UDSM boycotted classes, complaining against the delayed remittance of their allowances from the Higher Education Students’ Loans Board (HESLB).
Thus, skirmishes ensued between the University students and anti-riot police for quite a while. The recalcitrant students indicated that, as a consequence of the delay to release the funds for their welfare, a big number of them were leading miserable lifestyles, including going without basic necessities such as meals.
Due to the financial hardships, some students had reportedly returned home, as they could not survive without cash. It is bad enough for the State to fail to meet her lending obligation in time to help sustain the young citizens at the highest institution of learning. Furthermore, it should be a scandal for students to suffer to the extent of retreating homeward because the system cannot act in time.
It is instructive to note that on the day UDSM students were demonstrating, a World Bank report, released in Singapore, highlighted that developing nations can generate economic growth and reduce poverty by investing in better education, health care and job training for their record numbers of young people.
"It is far easier to develop skills during youth," said Francois Bourguignon, the World Bank's chief economist. "If we fail to do that, it will be impossible to remedy the missed opportunity. It is fundamental to invest in youth."
Well, it has been clarified that students who went on strike at the university were admitted under private sponsorship and were not included in the government’s scheme, whereby government was not obliged to cater for anyone admitted to the university under private sponsorship. Moreover, it has been said, the HESLB had already disbursed loans to all eligible students when they went on rampage. And the UDSM administration confirms that disbursement of loans to eligible students has been done.
Yet, the incident provides an opportunity for us to reevaluate our systems and performance to bring economic development and general welfare. The government should never again drag her feet in meeting the learning requirements of University students. The students are not the losers when their education is disrupted simply because government cannot adhere to the contract it made with her citizens.
To enfeeble the youthful souls’ quest for knowledge is to impair a nation’s general development goals, because the youths hold our future: they are healthier and full of verve. They can bend to varying situations much better than older men and women; they still have a long future before them to develop the country.
They must be prioritised in the national development strategies, for they are the inevitable engine to economic development. No matter how intensely the government can fight poverty among Tanzanians, it is only unlikely that many older, poor citizens can revise their statuses and run out of poverty. But the young, if given proper education and support, will ultimately swing the economy to prosperity.
Releasing the World Bank report in Singapore, economist Bourguignon also reiterated that it is very important to seize the "demographic window of opportunity" to train the youth. Thus, besides extending loans to students who require assistance and collecting repayment, to make the scheme successful and sustainable, the HELB has a heavy responsibility to placate the beneficiaries.
Fairness is all that is required of the HESLB. Fairness is a cardinal principle in lending (loan-giving), whose ingredients include: exercising proper prerogatives; giving adequate notice; avoiding abrupt changes in course of conduct; acting in a moral manner; while at the same time complying with the relevant laws, regulations, policies and procedures.
Borrowers should not be burdened, or required to do more than they are physically capable of doing. It is a loan-giver’s duty to give the borrower maximum opportunity to survive – and I think the students were not asking for more than this.
Government must be lauded for establishing the students’ loan scheme to enable young citizens’ access to education. It is a good undertaking which should only progress and never recede.
By Venansio Ahabwe
Source: Peering Eye, Sunday Citizen