On February 17, 2025, Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa, representing President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, successfully concluded the 20th anniversary celebrations of the Higher Education Students’ Loans Board (HESLB) at the Julius Nyerere International Conference Centre (JNICC) in Dar es Salaam.
The event marked a pivotal moment for the Board, which was established in 2004 to support students pursuing higher education in Tanzania.
In his address, Majaliwa emphasized the need for HESLB to enhance collaboration with financial institutions to boost the effectiveness of student loans, urging stronger partnerships to ensure that students in secondary schools, especially those in Forms Five and Six, are better informed about the criteria and procedures for obtaining loans.
He stressed the importance of outreach programs, particularly aimed at secondary school students, as the primary target for future loans.
“We advise HESLB to engage with financial institutions to enable more Tanzanians to pursue higher education. It’s also vital to educate secondary school students about loan opportunities and the steps involved,” Majaliwa noted.
A key highlight of the anniversary event was Majaliwa’s heartfelt gratitude towards past leadership for pioneering the higher education loan system. As a beneficiary of these loans himself, he acknowledged the transformative impact they’ve had on countless Tanzanians, especially those who might otherwise have been unable to access tertiary education.
“I extend my congratulations to our leaders who foresaw the importance of student loans and took action to establish this crucial system. To date, over 830,000 students have benefited from loans totaling 8.2 trillion Tanzanian shillings,” Majaliwa added.
Education Minister Prof. Adolf Mkenda also highlighted the impressive financial growth under the current administration. When President Samia Suluhu Hassan took office, the student loan budget stood at 464 billion shillings. Under her leadership, the budget has progressively increased, reaching 787 billion shillings in 2025.
“Upon President Samia’s administration, the loan allocation was increased significantly, with funding rising from 464 billion to 787 billion shillings,” Prof. Mkenda explained.
Former President Dr. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, who played a significant role during his tenure in enhancing the HESLB system, reflected on the success and the collaborative effort across multiple administrations. He emphasized that leadership is a continuous process, and the success of the loan system is a result of many leaders’ contributions over the years.
“What I have seen and heard today is encouraging. Leadership is about passing the baton from one generation to the next. The efforts of successive governments have continuously improved the loan system, benefiting more Tanzanians,” said Dr. Kikwete.
The 20th Anniversary celebrations kicked off on February 10, 2025, with a series of clinics across seven regions in Tanzania, aimed at educating stakeholders on student loans. This was followed by a charity run on February 15, 2025, and culminated in a two-day conference at JNICC.
The conference brought together both local and international stakeholders to assess the progress of HESLB, evaluate the successes and challenges, and propose strategies for enhancing its efficiency in the coming decades.
As Tanzania continues to prioritize higher education, HESLB remains a cornerstone of the country’s development strategy. The 20-year milestone not only celebrates past achievements but also sets the stage for a new era of innovation and inclusivity in Tanzania’s education sector.
With ongoing reforms and a focus on expanding access to education, HESLB’s future looks brighter than ever.
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