THE EDITOR, Sir:
THE STUDENTS' Loan Bureau (SLB) is designed to provide needy students with a chance to access tertiary education.
I must commend the Bureau for taking on such a mammoth task. Ironically, one never realises that this is the basic role of the SLB, and nothing else. I recall seeing a distressed student on a visit I made to the office to make queries about claims of non-payment of my loan which had been paid-off two years prior to my visit.
DISTRESS
The reason for the student's distress stemmed from the mere fact that she had completed her studies; unable to get a job, yet she was told she had to bring in a major sum of money for insurance and then seek out her guarantors to assist her with repaying the loan.
Even though I had my dilemma I was touched. She explained to me that she was really interested in repaying but because of her circumstances she was not able to do so. At the same time she could not believe that her monthly payments were so high.
I want to use this medium to ask the SLB to do a couple of adjustments to their programme.
Please advise borrowers on an estimated total that they will have to repay.
Let borrowers know whether or not they have a job, they will have to repay at the end of the grace period provided for them to seek employment.
Instead of forcing on a payment plan on borrowers, work something out with them that seems more realistic to their financial position or earnings.
Having done all the above see if the individual still wants a loan. Please continue to assist with the development of education in our nation but at the same time do not use your system to push up the suicide rate.
I am, etc.,
YANIQUE DOUGLAS
yancar59@hotmail.com
Chapelton, Clarendon
