Sad story of varsity student who failed to secure loan

Geza Ulole

JF-Expert Member
Oct 31, 2009
58,769
78,440
ANNA Rugaimukamu (not her really name) arrived in Dar es Salaam on Saturday from Muleba district, Kagera region to join the University of Dar es Salaam in the new academic year that begins next Monday.

The long journey took her two days to arrive in Dar es Salaam, because she had to spend one night in Bukoba town to enable her catch Mohamed Trans bus that normally leaves at dawn. I met Anna at the Ubungo bus station in Dar es Salaam where I had gone to receive a relative who was coming from Songea that particular evening.

As I kept myself busy calling my kin to find out where he had reached, Anna approached me and asked me where she could catch a bus to Magomeni area, where she was going to her Mama Mdogo (A younger sister of her mother). After engaging ourselves in dialogue for a while I volunteered to drive her to Magomeni.

I called the Mama Mdogo, to find out where her house was located and after she gave me the right direction I told her that in few minutes I would bring her visitor. She thanked me for the hospitality. As I continued to wait, my relative called and informed me that the bus he was travelling on had arrived at Mbezi area, but the traffic was so heavy that he could arrive at Ubungo a bit late.

"Don't worry I shall wait for you." I told him. The waiting provided an opportunity for me to continue talking to this young girl Anna, who is 20 years old. "My daughter is also twenty years old" I told her. My interrogation with Anna made me discover that the girl was coming from a very poor family. She told me that both her parents are farmers who don't have money to pay for her education at the university level.

"I have come to study Law at the University of Dar es Salaam but unfortunately I am in that list of students who did not get loan this year. This means I need about four million to enable me begin my studies in this particular academic year," She told me.

To get the chance of studying Laws at the university of Dar es Salaam, Anna told me that she got division one (six points) in the advanced level national examinations which were held early this year. This girl had all the hopes that she was going to secure loan because until recently, the government was giving bursaries to all students that had performed well.

Anna came to Dar es Salaam early, to enable her raise fees and accommodation expenses from the city based relatives and friends. "My father has already telephoned some of our relatives about this serious matter and I hope they will assist me," Anna told me.

With tears lingering from her eyes, Anna sadly told me that her parents struggled tooth and nail to secure 60,000/- that she used as bus fare. Her mother prepared her some sweet potatoes and water that she consumed while on safari. Anna is in the group that Higher Education Students Loans Board (HESLB) calls ''List of students who did not secure loans due to Budget exhaustion''.

Whatever that may mean, the implication is that had there been enough funds, the board would have extended loans to all eligible students. Anna told me that her parents live not very far from where the Muleba South Member of Parliament Mrs Anna Tibaijuka was born. "I am planning to see my name sake MP, to ask something from her that will add something to her university fee.

To study law at the University of Dar es Salaam, Anna needs 1,500,000/- that is a one year fees. To be registered, she also have to pay 74,900/- as registration fee. Other requirements include accommodation and meals which is 1,852,000/-, books and stationary (200,000/-). In total, Anna should raise at least 3,700,000/- to enable her pursue first year studies at this prestigious university of Dar es Salaam.

This means that for the five years that Anna will be pursuing her undergraduate degree studies at the University of Dar es Salaam, her parents should at least set aside a total of 18.5m/- before she graduates.

I told Anna about what the University of Dar es Salaam announced recently, saying that all bona fide students should pay their share of tuition and other required fees as indicated before they report to the University as only those who pay the fees will be processed for registration and allowed to access accommodation and other university facilities and services.

I told her, ''Students who will not have paid their fees should not report to the University until due fees are paid'', a statement that shocked her, praying that her relatives in Dar es Salaam struggle to raise the money as soon as possible, taking into consideration that there are only two weeks remaining before the registration window closes.

Studies at the University of Dar es Salaam begin on 10th October 2011, to be preceded by an Orientation Week programme starting from 1st to 8th October 2011. According to Professor Yunus Mgaya who is Deputy Vice Chancellor – Administration, students are urged to pay the tuition fees in full by 29th September 2011.

However, he says, those who will be unable to do so are allowed to pay for a single semester which is half of the tuition fee. He adds that students who will pay for the whole year will be issued with Identity Cards lasting for the whole year while those paying for a semester will have IDs lasting for a semester.

Prof Mgaya warns that such students will need to pay for the new IDs that will be issued to them in the second semester, having complied with fees payment. "Students should note that payment per semester applies only to tuition fees as the direct university cost of TZS 74,900/- need to be paid up front for the whole academic year," He insists.

These are challenges facing Anna and thousands of students joining both public and private universities in this academic year. "Can the Loans Board think of an alternative way to ease the burden from parents who have started selling family properties to enable their children join higher learning institutions for studies?" this is the question that Anna asked me as I was driving her to Magomeni.

I had no immediate answer to give her but I simply told her that the government would always do the best to help its people, and this of loans to university students can as well be addressed by our president Jakaya Kikwete, who has done quite a lot in improving education since he became president six years ago.
http://www.dailynews.co.tz/feature/?n=24012&cat=feature

MY TAKE
Hii nchi has gone to dogs, yaani huyu msichana ana div 1 point 6 amekosa loan! mke wa Ridhiwani amepata division ngapi vile?
 
Mhe. Anna Tibaijuka naomba msaidie huyu binti. Shilingi 4m kwako binafsi is nothing mhe Waziri. Vile vile you have network that can enable you ask well wishers to contribute this money. This is good investment for Muleba and Tanzania as country in general.
 
Real a sad story, I do agree with you there is a problem in regards to how the monies are distributed and also encourage your positive attitude to highlight the plight of Anna, however I think you could go a step further than only listen and pity her, I would expect after dropping her at her mama-mdogo you would maintain contact with her and assist in a way on her following up with the MP and other possible sponsors that could be. We as a people may not be blessed enough to assist everyone who are in a fix as there is quite a lot out here but we should live and help in any possible way however small it may seem this for the good of the nation.
 
Wako wengi wa aina ya Anna, Huyu kwa vile amepata mtu wa kuandika kisa chake kwenye JF ndipo tunamsikitikia, lakini hakika wako 4,332 waliostahili kupata mkopo lakini hawakupewa eti bajeti imeisha. Lakini bajeti ya posho za wabunge haiishi!
Ushauri wangu kwa wote walistahili mikopo lakini wakakosa - kila mmoja aandike barua kwenye tume ya vyuo vikuu (TCU), Chuo alichokuwa amechauliwa kujiunga, na bodi ya mikopo akieleza kuwa ameshindwa kuhudhuria masomo mwaka huu kwa sababu hana hela ya kufanya hivyo. Hivyo awaeleze kuwa ataomba tena mwakani na iwapo atapata mkopo then atakuja kusoma. Tukipata barua 4,332 za aina hii kwa vyovyote serikali itastuka; lakini kama ila mmoja atajihangaikia kivyake mtindo huu wa serikali utaendelea.
Halafu tusizungumze 4m tu, kwani next year atapata wapi hela? tuzungumze 16m/-
 
ANNA Rugaimukamu (not her really name) arrived in Dar es Salaam on Saturday from Muleba district, Kagera region to join the University of Dar es Salaam in the new academic year that begins next Monday.

The long journey took her two days to arrive in Dar es Salaam, because she had to spend one night in Bukoba town to enable her catch Mohamed Trans bus that normally leaves at dawn. I met Anna at the Ubungo bus station in Dar es Salaam where I had gone to receive a relative who was coming from Songea that particular evening.

As I kept myself busy calling my kin to find out where he had reached, Anna approached me and asked me where she could catch a bus to Magomeni area, where she was going to her Mama Mdogo (A younger sister of her mother). After engaging ourselves in dialogue for a while I volunteered to drive her to Magomeni.

I called the Mama Mdogo, to find out where her house was located and after she gave me the right direction I told her that in few minutes I would bring her visitor. She thanked me for the hospitality. As I continued to wait, my relative called and informed me that the bus he was travelling on had arrived at Mbezi area, but the traffic was so heavy that he could arrive at Ubungo a bit late.

“Don’t worry I shall wait for you.” I told him. The waiting provided an opportunity for me to continue talking to this young girl Anna, who is 20 years old. “My daughter is also twenty years old” I told her. My interrogation with Anna made me discover that the girl was coming from a very poor family. She told me that both her parents are farmers who don’t have money to pay for her education at the university level.

“I have come to study Law at the University of Dar es Salaam but unfortunately I am in that list of students who did not get loan this year. This means I need about four million to enable me begin my studies in this particular academic year,” She told me.

To get the chance of studying Laws at the university of Dar es Salaam, Anna told me that she got division one (six points) in the advanced level national examinations which were held early this year. This girl had all the hopes that she was going to secure loan because until recently, the government was giving bursaries to all students that had performed well.

Anna came to Dar es Salaam early, to enable her raise fees and accommodation expenses from the city based relatives and friends. “My father has already telephoned some of our relatives about this serious matter and I hope they will assist me,” Anna told me.

With tears lingering from her eyes, Anna sadly told me that her parents struggled tooth and nail to secure 60,000/- that she used as bus fare. Her mother prepared her some sweet potatoes and water that she consumed while on safari. Anna is in the group that Higher Education Students Loans Board (HESLB) calls ''List of students who did not secure loans due to Budget exhaustion''.

Whatever that may mean, the implication is that had there been enough funds, the board would have extended loans to all eligible students. Anna told me that her parents live not very far from where the Muleba South Member of Parliament Mrs Anna Tibaijuka was born. “I am planning to see my name sake MP, to ask something from her that will add something to her university fee.

To study law at the University of Dar es Salaam, Anna needs 1,500,000/- that is a one year fees. To be registered, she also have to pay 74,900/- as registration fee. Other requirements include accommodation and meals which is 1,852,000/-, books and stationary (200,000/-). In total, Anna should raise at least 3,700,000/- to enable her pursue first year studies at this prestigious university of Dar es Salaam.

This means that for the five years that Anna will be pursuing her undergraduate degree studies at the University of Dar es Salaam, her parents should at least set aside a total of 18.5m/- before she graduates.

I told Anna about what the University of Dar es Salaam announced recently, saying that all bona fide students should pay their share of tuition and other required fees as indicated before they report to the University as only those who pay the fees will be processed for registration and allowed to access accommodation and other university facilities and services.

I told her, ''Students who will not have paid their fees should not report to the University until due fees are paid'', a statement that shocked her, praying that her relatives in Dar es Salaam struggle to raise the money as soon as possible, taking into consideration that there are only two weeks remaining before the registration window closes.

Studies at the University of Dar es Salaam begin on 10th October 2011, to be preceded by an Orientation Week programme starting from 1st to 8th October 2011. According to Professor Yunus Mgaya who is Deputy Vice Chancellor – Administration, students are urged to pay the tuition fees in full by 29th September 2011.

However, he says, those who will be unable to do so are allowed to pay for a single semester which is half of the tuition fee. He adds that students who will pay for the whole year will be issued with Identity Cards lasting for the whole year while those paying for a semester will have IDs lasting for a semester.

Prof Mgaya warns that such students will need to pay for the new IDs that will be issued to them in the second semester, having complied with fees payment. "Students should note that payment per semester applies only to tuition fees as the direct university cost of TZS 74,900/- need to be paid up front for the whole academic year," He insists.

These are challenges facing Anna and thousands of students joining both public and private universities in this academic year. “Can the Loans Board think of an alternative way to ease the burden from parents who have started selling family properties to enable their children join higher learning institutions for studies?” this is the question that Anna asked me as I was driving her to Magomeni.

I had no immediate answer to give her but I simply told her that the government would always do the best to help its people, and this of loans to university students can as well be addressed by our president Jakaya Kikwete, who has done quite a lot in improving education since he became president six years ago.
Daily News | Sad story of varsity student who failed to secure loan

MY TAKE
Hii nchi has gone to dogs, yaani huyu msichana ana div 1 point 6 amekosa loan! mke wa Ridhiwani amepata division ngapi vile?

pia namuomba afanye kile kilichomleta mjini pole zake..
 
Mhe. Anna Tibaijuka naomba msaidie huyu binti. Shilingi 4m kwako binafsi is nothing mhe Waziri. Vile vile you have network that can enable you ask well wishers to contribute this money. This is good investment for Muleba and Tanzania as country in general.

Huyo Binti wala asiwe na hofu, amuone tu mbunge wake wa Muleba Prof Tibaijuka waziri wa Ardhi atamlipia tu. Anaweza hata akatoa toka shuleni kwake ile shule ghali saaana sijui yaitwa Bablojonson???
 
Duh hivi gharama za chuo kwa mwaka zimefika milioni nne siku hizi eeeh. Kweli gharama za maisha zimepanda nakumbuka mwka 2004 kwa engineering na sheria ada ilikuwa laki 6 tu ujkipata milioni nyingine unaishi bila tabu kabisaa na kila kitu kinakuwa covered.
 
Hapa serikali inapima urefu wa maji. Nadhani solution hapa ni kwa viongozi wa wanafunzi kulishughulikia kwa Nguvu ya wanafunzi mpaka hela itoke kwa hawa wanafunzi. Hamna kitu kama hicho leo hii kama unarafiki yako pale bodi ya mkopo unaweza kupaya mkopo bila shida yoyote tena 100perc.
 
Huyo Binti wala asiwe na hofu, amuone tu mbunge wake wa Muleba Prof Tibaijuka waziri wa Ardhi atamlipia tu. Anaweza hata akatoa toka shuleni kwake ile shule ghali saaana sijui yaitwa Bablojonson???
tatizo kazi ya Mbunge sio hiyo na utatuzi huo wa suala hili si ung'amuzi wa ukubwa wa tatizo hili! Hebu fikiria wale 4000 waliobaki wenye tatizo kama hili nao Tibaijuka atawalipia au wabunge wao? kuwa na uwezo wa kuelewa ujumbe wa hii story hapa! uvumbuzi endelevu wa hili suala ni serikali kuingilia kati na kuongeza hela ya Mkopo! hivi ile change ya radar itapelekwa wapi vile? kwanini isiingizwe kwenye mfuko wa mikopo wa HESLB?
 
Its very sad. Nina ndugu yangu ana Div.I ya point 5 amepata Law nae kakosa mkopo. Wazazi wake ni wakulima huko kijijini na ni masikini kabisa na sidhani kama ataweza kusoma. Mi najiuliza hv kwann kigezo namba moja cha kupewa mkopo kisiwe academic performance?
 
Its very sad. Nina ndugu yangu ana Div.I ya point 5 amepata Law nae kakosa mkopo. Wazazi wake ni wakulima huko kijijini na ni masikini kabisa na sidhani kama ataweza kusoma. Mi najiuliza hv kwann kigezo namba moja cha kupewa mkopo kisiwe academic performance?

hcho kigezo kpo bt knapindshwa.
 
Its very sad,wakati watoto wa wakubwa wanakula maisha,kuna story nying za kusikitisha za students with no loan,cha msingi wanachuo tushikamane vyuo vikifungua mpaka kieleweke.wana siasa uchwara wasicheze na akili za watu.
 
ndoto za wadogo zetu na watoto kusoma elimu ya juu zinataka zipotezwe na serikali ya ccm...nasema kama Mungu aishivo hii dhambi itakuja kuwatafuna ccm.
 
Mnaosema "Akamwombe" Tibaijuka mmesahau kuwa kuna watu zaidi ya 12 elfu, ukiacha wale "second selection" ambao wamekosa mikopo! Hivyo basi solution siyo "kuomba" kwa mbunge, Serikali ina wajibu wa kuwasomesha wote wenye sifa za kwenda shule, ukizingatia kuwa hizo pesa wanakopa na watazirudisha. Huyo ni mmoja tu kati ya wengi ambao ndoto zao huenda zikaimika moja kwa moja! Sijui tunatengeneza taifa la namna gani, na vipaumbele vyetu ni nini katika matumizi ya kodi zetu, kila mara wana claim Serikali haina pesa, kumbe ni ubinafsi na matumizi mabaya ya kdogo tulichonacho! Niliwahi ksema, na ninarudia tena kusema, we are a bunch of di*ck heads lead by a bunch of sick retards!
 
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