When the government scrapped the controversial bursary loans scheme for university students last year, a lot of disorientation arose since there were no proper laid down mechanisms to know determine bona fide beneficiaries, yet the monthly Frw 25,000 bursary fund, popularly known as “bourse” specifically targeted the neediest students to cater for accommodation and food expenses among others.
However, even among the needy students who are set to benefit, there are those who claim that they are yet to receive the bourse from the Students Financing Agency of Rwanda (SFAR) since the start of the current academic year.
In an interview with IGIHE.com, the Director General of SFAR, Emma Rubagumya clarified that the agency had decided to first conduct an assessment among the students to determine genuine beneficiaries from imposters.
“We had to first make a proper evaluation before we could release this money since a lot of mistakes were made when we were implementing this,” Rubagumya observed.
She disclosed that the evaluation had been conducted by local authorities and other departments in charge and a final list submitted to the SFAR offices on Monday (April 27, 2011). She added that in less than two weeks, beneficiaries would receive the bursary funds in their accounts.
“We have delisted some students who were not meant to receive this money and they will have to refund it,” the SFR boss cautioned.
Rubagumya revealed that some of the false beneficiaries were eating from restaurants and renting accommodation facilities on credit, claiming that they would clear the credit upon receiving the bourse. She warned those who may have misguidedly obtained the funds that they would have to reimburse the money to such creditors.
She announced that the situation was regrettable especially among innocent traders, adding that such students would have to service the arrears and still be delisted from the bursary scheme.
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