No loans for postgraduate law students, minister says

Deputy Minister for Constitutional and Legal Affairs Mathias Chikawe

The government has said that the Higher Education Students' Loans Board (HESLB) does not issue loans to students pursuing postgraduate law studies.

Deputy Minister for Constitutional and Legal Affairs Mathias Chikawe said parents and guardians were responsible for payment of school fees for postgraduates at the Law School.

He said the government through his ministry had been providing funds to Law School students and so far his ministry had offered loans to 1,396 students worth over 3bn/-.

He said the government would continue looking for a better way of financing students at the Law School.

Chikawe, however, advised MPs to propose law amendments to allow them to be provided with loans from HESLB.

Chikawe explained that law students going to work in courts had no reason to attend the Law School. He said the Law School was mainly for those who wanted to become advocates.

“It is not necessary for all graduates to attend a law school. This system is meant for those who want to become advocates,” he noted.

He said the idea of establishing the law school was brought to the government by Judge Bomani’s committee to ensure advocates were well trained.

posted by sixtus bahati