HELSB Zambia Host Briefing On Student Loans Recoveries And Scholarship

In todays latest HELSB News – HELSB Zambia Host Briefing On Student Loans Recoveries And Scholarship. “Today, 30/01/25, the Higher Education Loans and Scholarships Board (HELSB) hosted its first-ever Media Breakfast Briefing in Lusaka. Chief Executive Officer Dr. John Machayi provided critical updates on the board’s progress, including a total recovery amount of K194,175,616.47 as of December 31st, 2024, exceeding the annual target of K170 million.

The number of students benefiting from loans has grown to 37,094 in 2024, a significant increase from 28,827 in 2020. During the briefing, journalists were invited to ask questions on loan recoveries and other challenges, with Deputy Director of Credit and Scholarships, Mr. Chisanga Derrick, offering in-depth responses.

The event underscored HELSB’s commitment to expanding opportunities for higher education financing and strategic partnerships to support Zambia’s future leaders.

Later in the day, CEO Dr. Machayi had an interview with a team from the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) about the Konkola Copper Mines Scholastic Excellence Programme (KCM)-HELSB partnership, valued at US$100,000. In the interview, Dr. Machayi highlighted the importance of such partnerships in improving student loan distribution.

Dr. Machayi also called on the media to help disseminate information on student loan recovery, urging beneficiaries who have not been repaying their loans to start paying back. He emphasized the importance of repayments, including from Zambians in the diaspora, as these contributions will strengthen the revolving fund and enable more students to access loans in the future.