Ministry of Education Takes Over Higher Education Students Financing Board Functions
The Ministry of Education and Sports officially assumed the functions of the Higher Education Students Financing Board to improve service delivery and efficiency. This transition aims to streamline operations in supporting students’ access to higher education.
The Ministry of Education and Sports has formally assumed the functions of the Higher Education Students Financing Board (HESFB).
The handover ceremony, held in Kampala on Monday, January 6, was officiated by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Sports, Dr. Kedrace Turyagyenda, who was represented by the Under Secretary, Dr. Jane Egau Okou.
“Going forward, the responsibilities of HESFB will be managed under the Ministry through the Secretariat for the Higher Education Students Financing Board to ensure continuity and effective service delivery,” the Ministry announced in a statement on X.
Established under the Act of Parliament No. 2 of 2014, HESFB has played a critical role in supporting Ugandans to access higher education through financial assistance.
“This transition aims to streamline operations and enhance efficiency in advancing Uganda’s education sector,” the Ministry added.
New Beneficiaries for 2024
In January 2024, Parliament was informed that HESFB had targeted 3,000 students to benefit from the Government’s loan scheme in the current financial year.
This new cohort brings the total number of beneficiaries to 6,180, with 3,180 students already on the scheme as of January 31, 2024. However, the Budget Committee of Parliament observed that the Board lacked sufficient funds to meet the demand for higher education funding.
“In line with the parliamentary resolution of July 12, 2023, it was noted that only UGX 21.06 billion had been allocated, against a required UGX 27.8 billion, to support the 6,180 beneficiaries. This creates a funding gap of UGX 6.75 billion,” the committee reported.
Eligibility for the loan scheme remains restricted to Ugandan students admitted to accredited programs in institutions recognized by the National Council for Higher Education.
Over the past nine years, the scheme has supported a total of 13,405 students. Of these, 9,198 (68.6%) were male, and 4,207 (31.4%) were female, according to the latest report by the Equal Opportunities Commission for the financial year 2022/23.
