The Tertiary Education Loans and Scholarship Board has expressed its concern on students going directly to politicians to discuss loans and scholarship issues.
Board Chairman Dixon Seeto says students must come to them first to find a quick solution to their issues.
Its an issue that has got the Tertiary Scholarship and Loans Board worried.
Chairman Dixon Seeto has urged the students to come to them directly to seek clarification on any of their decisions.
” Many cases like that. Thinking perhaps that our decisions might not have gone well with the students . They think that by going to these people, they can change the decision of TSLB. TSLB works very closely with the Ministry of Education and we are merely an implementing agency. We don’t have any discretions and we don’t go outside the rules.” Seeto said.
Seeto says students must go through an appeal process rather than politicians or other influential people if they are unhappy with the Board.
” We don’t have discretion to change the rules. If it says you fail three units, we have to suspend your scholarship or loan, we have to do that. If we make an exception for one, we will have to make the same rule for everyone else”
The Board is ensuring all complaints are addressed in a timely manner.
“When the students actually get their scholarship or loans, they sign an agreement with us. The agreement is very clear where it tells you what you have to do, mainly to pass, and in an event that you don’t, what will happen then. It saddens me to hear that students having signed the agreement say they do not know what’s in the agreement”
Seeto says a clear process is in place which all students must abide by while registering their complaints.