KUCHING, March 8: The Sarawak Initiatives (TSI) is proposing that the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) cancel 100 per cent of student loans taken by low-income students.
Its president Datuk John Tenewi Nuek in a press statement today said it may require the MoHE to launch a programme in order to identify the targeted group of students.
“Students who have graduated and are having lucrative jobs with high income may have to carry on repaying their loan.
“TSI would also like Yayasan Sarawak to consider only paying the loans of students from families of low income groups and are facing financial difficulties,” he said.
On the same note, Tenewi believed more can be done to help those students from lower income families who are struggling to repay their student loans and at the same time, shouldering family financial responsibilities.
He opined canceling these students loans will also help the economy because families in the low income group will have more disposable income which will contribute to higher domestic consumption and thus, help businesses.
“Implementing a student loan forgiveness policy will help narrow the income inequality gap that is widening in our country. The wealthy will pay for their education while students from the lower income group will be given financial assistance so as not to deprive them from a good education.
“Besides reducing the financial burden of the lower income group, forgiving student loans will take a lot of mental stress (away) from them,” he added. — DayakDaily
