President John Magufuli has defended the 15 per cent pay cut from beneficiaries of the Higher Learning Education Students’ Loans Board (HESLB), saying there was no other option than to pay the debt.
Speaking in Moshi District, Kilimanjaro Region during the Workers’ Day Celebrations, the president told residents of the region that out of the Sh427billion that must be paid to HESLB, only Sh181.4billion has been paid by the loan beneficiaries.
“Those who benefitted from the loans must pay so that the governments
gets funds to pay for other students who are getting enrolled,’’ said Dr
Magufuli.
Last year, the government passed a law in parliament under the Miscellaneous Amendments to raise the pay cut from 8 to 15 percent for all beneficiaries of the HESLB since last year. There has been a clamour from workers for the government to reverse its decision.
But President Magufuli strongly defended the move saying, “It doesn’t matter when you took the loan. The issue at hand is that you owe the loans board .Pay it.”
Last year, the government passed a law in parliament under the Miscellaneous Amendments to raise the pay cut from 8 to 15 percent for all beneficiaries of the HESLB since last year. There has been a clamour from workers for the government to reverse its decision.
But President Magufuli strongly defended the move saying, “It doesn’t matter when you took the loan. The issue at hand is that you owe the loans board .Pay it.”