By The Respondents Reporter
The Higher Education Students’ Loans Board (HESLB) continues to play a vital role in expanding access to higher education in Tanzania by providing loans to students joining universities and other tertiary institutions.
Through this support, thousands of young Tanzanians from low-income families have been able to pursue higher education and build their future careers.
For more than two decades, the Government of Tanzania, through HESLB, has invested heavily in student loans as part of its broader commitment to human capital development.
This investment has enabled many graduates to join the workforce in both public and private sectors, while others have created self-employment opportunities that contribute to the national economy.
In addition to providing loans, HESLB is mandated to recover funds from beneficiaries after they complete their studies and begin earning income.
These repayments are essential in sustaining the revolving fund, ensuring that future generations of students can also access higher education opportunities.
While loan recovery has been relatively effective among formally employed graduates thanks to employer-supported deductions of 15 percent from salaries challenges remain in reaching beneficiaries working in the informal sector.
These include small-scale traders, food vendors, motorcycle operators, artisans, and other self-employed graduates whose income is not captured through formal systems.
As a result, tracking and ensuring repayment from this group has remained a major challenge.
There is also a widespread misunderstanding among some beneficiaries who believe that loan repayment only begins once they secure formal employment.
In reality, repayment is based on income status, not employment type. Any graduate with income whether self-employed or employed is required to begin repayment.
To address these challenges, HESLB has launched a new nationwide campaign aimed at strengthening awareness and improving voluntary loan repayment, particularly among self-employed graduates.
The campaign, known as “Kiduchu Fresh Tunasonga,” was officially launched on April 17, 2026, at HESLB offices in the Eastern Zone, Dar es Salaam, by the Deputy Minister for Education, Science and Technology, Wanu Hafidh Ameir.
The campaign encourages beneficiaries to begin repaying their loans with small, manageable amounts, starting from as little as 5,000 shillings, depending on their ability.
The goal is to ensure that even low-income earners can participate in loan repayment without financial strain.
Speaking during the launch, Wanu emphasized that small contributions from many beneficiaries can collectively make a significant national impact.
“Kiduchu means small, but its impact is big when many people participate. Do not wait until you have a large income. Start with what you have today,” she said, stressing that every contribution matters in building the nation’s education system.
Official figures show that between the 2021/2022 and 2025/2026 financial years, the government has disbursed 3.6 trillion shillings in student loans. This investment has significantly increased access to higher education across the country.
Despite these achievements, loan recovery remains a major concern. The campaign targets 135,186 beneficiaries who collectively owe about 920 billion shillings.
Recovering these funds will strengthen the revolving fund and allow more students to access loans in the future.
HESLB also reports that the total outstanding matured loans stand at 2.78 trillion shillings. So far, 1.84 trillion shillings has been recovered from 539,103 beneficiaries.
However, a large portion of the debt remains unpaid, particularly among graduates in the informal sector.
HESLB Executive Director, Dr. Bill Kiwia, has urged all graduates with income to take responsibility and begin repaying their loans.
He emphasized that repayment is both a legal obligation and a patriotic duty that supports national development.
He noted that strengthening loan recovery is essential for sustaining the student loan system and ensuring that future students continue to benefit from government support.
The “Kiduchu Fresh Tunasonga” campaign is built on the principle of inclusion, ensuring that even those with small or irregular incomes can contribute to loan repayment.
It promotes financial responsibility while recognizing the realities of income generation in the informal sector.
At its core, the campaign encourages a mindset shift from viewing repayment as a burden to seeing it as a shared responsibility in nation-building.
Every repayment, no matter how small, contributes to another student’s opportunity for education.
The government’s vision is to maintain a sustainable education financing system that continuously supports new students while ensuring accountability among beneficiaries who have already completed their studies.
In conclusion, the “Kiduchu Fresh Tunasonga” campaign is a practical and inclusive solution aimed at strengthening the sustainability of student loans in Tanzania.
It encourages graduates to repay based on their ability, ensuring fairness and continuity of the system.
The success of this initiative depends on the collective responsibility of all beneficiaries to act with integrity and patriotism.
Small, consistent repayments will not only sustain the fund but also help shape a stronger, more educated future generation for the country.
