Govt to give study loans to arts students

By Damali Mukhaye

In a rather interesting turn of events, the government has gone back on its word and made a U-turn to consider giving study loans to students offering arts programs effective next academic year.

Previously, government has been sponsoring only students offering Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematic programs, leaving out their arts counterparts.

Now the Higher Education Student’s Financing Board Director of Operations, Bbosa Kizito says the board has resolved to also support students offering courses in humanities.

According to Kizito, they are slated to start with students offering Tourism courses at all public and chartered Universities as well as Other Tertiary Institutions.

This development comes at time there’s debate over government’s apparent preferential treatment for scientists and science teachers.

Bob Nuwagira, the spokesperson of HESFB said that the board has started pulling out these arts courses one by one, to ensure that all humanities courses that are critical in the development of the country are sponsored.

With Tourism on board now, the number of programs government has been sponsoring will now increase from 15 to 16, with students offering health and medical related courses, sciences in education and engineering courses taking the lion share.

Written by Noelyn Nassuuna