Introduction
At some point in our lives we all wish we lived in world where everyone could do whatever they want without any consequences fulfilling the adage by Jean Paul Satre that human beings are doomed to freedom. Unfortunately, the reality is that we live in a world where every action we want to or not to take has consequences and does directly or indirectly have an impact on others, as such our actions require accepted social norms, rules, laws, traditions and values to be controlled. It is against this understanding that all human behavior must be guided by morals. Human beings, as such cannot claim to be doomed to freedom as it whatever they do, there are limitations and consequences.
The thrust of our entry this week centers on the immorality of non-repayment of students’ loans. Morals, as argued by scholars, are a set of rules or codes of conduct that help in making decisions about what is right or wrong, what is good or bad, what is important or not. Self-control, responsibility, respect, politeness, perseverance, kindness, integrity, honesty, generosity, fairness, equality, courage, compassion and acceptance are examples of moral values that guide human behavior. Morals can be at personal level or a societal level and it is these morals that serve as fabric for stability and security of a society. Morals establish an expected and desired value system for individuals and for the harmony of the society. That being the case, each and every member of the society has moral obligations. These obligations are duties which everyone owes the society in which she/she lives in and is required to fulfill, though they are not legally binding. Morals promote the culture of reciprocity fulfilling the adage of “do unto others as you wish them to do unto you”; morals promote societal cohesion and communal accountability and answerability.
Students’ loan repayment as a moral issue
Students’ loans are similar to all other types of loans that exist in our society. They are similar in way that that a borrower (student) borrows money from a lender (Government) with the promise that he or she will repay the money. By promising to repay, a student commits to adhere to all the terms and conditions of the loan and is morally obliged to be responsible and honest in fulfilling the promise. Though it is obvious that there is a general understanding that a loan is a loan and it must be repaid; in practice and specifically here in Malawi, loan repayment demands more than this inherent understanding as honoring loans repayment between individuals, between individuals and institutions and between institutions and institutions is relatively non-complied to.
When a former beneficiary of students’ loan decides not to repay his or her loan the integrity and power of reason of such an individual come into question. In other words, former beneficiaries of students’ loan who choose not to repay their loan are individuals who cannot be trusted in our society because they cannot stick to their own promises. In short, non-repayment of students’ loan is immoral and it should be condemned in the strongest terms. This is because non repayment of students’ loans that one benefitted from in acquiring relevant educational skills that make him or her employable or business-minded; equals stealing of public resources for personal gain. Equally, it equals a self-centred (egocentric) personality that enjoys self-gratification at the expense of the common good of all. Failure to pay back students’ loans is further committing a sin of omission by taking away what could have helped the current and future needy and deserving Malawian students access higher education. It is further inimical to the efforts of the Malawi Government as it seeks to bridge the gap between the poor and the rich in their access to the much needed higher education which is a panacea for the nation’s socio-economic development.
Enforcement of morals
Considering the fact that our societies are not perfect, Malawi Government passes laws and establishes institutions to enforce certain moral standards. In other words, the laws that we have are a public expression of the basic principles of conduct and morality which our society accepts.
In the context of students’ loans, therefore, the Government of Malawi recognized that there will be some former beneficiaries of students’ loans who cannot stick to the promise and the moral responsibility they made when getting the loan at the time they were needy and helpless.
As such, it passed the Higher Education Students’ Loan and Grants (HESLGB) Act in 2015 to facilitate enforcement of students’ loans repayment. Passing of the Act turns the moral obligation of former beneficiaries into legal obligation which if not honored, is penalized by the provisions in the same law.
Call to Action
The morality of an individual can be measured when he or she is faced with a situation where he or she has to make a decision. Deciding to or not to repay a loan should always be looked at from moral perspective. When former beneficiaries of students’ loans willingly choose not to repay their loans it is not only immoral, but it also shows that they are unpatriotic to the vision of mother Malawi; as such they are enemies of development. It shows also that whilst they were beneficiaries of students’ loans in the past, as government bailed them from their needy status to access higher education; they are opting to fail their fellow Malawians that are needy now to access higher education. It smacks of hypocrisy and failure to empathize with fellow Malawians who are economically limited to finance their access to higher education. That is why the HESLGB Act makes student loan non-repayment illegal and hence punishable.
Therefore, HESLGB calls upon all former students’ loan beneficiaries to fulfill their moral and legal obligations by paying back their loans thereby supporting more Malawian needy student’s to access higher education.
All former students’ loans beneficiaries must be aware that by not paying back their students’ loans, they are directly violating the current needy students’ right to education.
The HESLGB Act therefore, it must be known to former students’ loan beneficiaries, that they can be sued and pay for the costs for court proceedings including the loan itself if they do not fulfill their legal responsibility to pay back in the prescribed legal manner.
Therefore, be morally responsible; be patriotic to mother Malawi by timely paying back your student loan. Avoid legal complications and punishments by timely paying back your loan. Lastly avoid being named and shamed as non -compliant to the student loan repayment processes by just honoring your loan now!!!