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This study sought to assess criteria for loans provision to university students under the umbrella of cost sharing policy. The study arose from the fact that one of the objectives of the establishment of Higher Education Students’ Loan Board was to assist needy and eligible Tanzanians to access higher education. Specifically, the study aimed to (i) list ways used to identify students who qualify to be given loans. (ii) To examine the means that enable HESLB to provide right amount of loans according to the needs of beneficiaries. (iii) To assess fairness of Higher Education Students’ Loan Board in provision of loans to its applicants. The study employed mixed methods research approach in which both quantitative and qualitative methods were used to collect and analyze data. Explanatory design was applied, where in quantitative data, questionnaires were used, and in qualitative data, interview guides were used. The analysis of the instruments revealed about 67 percent of students at SAUT in 2013/2014 got loan regardless their economic background of their families. Thus criteria for loans provision had failed to indentify the actual needy ones who need financial support (loans). The study made the following recommendations: (1) Government must empower the parents by giving them knowledge, skills, loans and equipments and ensure good price and stable markets to their products so as to reduce dependency on government loans. (2) New strategies are needed to help in identifying true information concerning economic background of the loan applicants from their grassroots. (3) HESLB should provide loans percentage according to the ability of the beneficiaries to pay the remaining portion of the university fees (4) Also HESLB must have rules and regulations that will charge those who provide false information.(5) To provide loans to applicants who have qualification regardless the national priorities. |
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