The Higher Education Loans and Scholarships Board (HELSB) has awarded student loans to a total of 1,270 first-year students at Kwame Nkrumah and Mukuba Universities for the 2025/2026 academic year.
HELSB Corporate Affairs Manager Chiselwa Kawanda says 660 students at Kwame Nkrumah University and 610 at Mukuba University have been granted financial assistance under the student loan scheme.
In a statement issued to RCV News in Lusaka today, Ms. Kawanda said from the 1,486 applications received from Kwame Nkrumah University, 1,238 applicants were found eligible, while 248 did not meet the criteria.
“Among the successful applicants, 948 students are from rural areas representing 64 percent, and 538 students, representing 36 percent are from urban areas,” said Ms. Kawanda.
Ms. Kawanda noted that 18 applications received from persons with disabilities were approved for loans.
For Mukuba University, Ms. Kawanda said the Board processed 1,177 applications, with 1,058 deemed eligible and 119 considered ineligible.
She said rural applicants accounted for 62 percent, representing 724 students of those awarded, while 38 percent, representing 453 students came from urban backgrounds with all five applicants with disabilities were granted loans.
Ms. Kawanda has noted that common reasons for ineligibility at both institutions included completion of Grade 12 before 2021, submission of incomplete or incorrect documentation, and exceeding the age limit of 26 years.
She says HELSB continues to emphasize equitable access to higher education by prioritizing students from rural areas and ensuring inclusivity for persons with disabilities.
By Margaret Mwanza
