Introduction
The Uganda Higher Education Students’ Financing Board (HESFB) is a fund intended to provide financing to Ugandan students who have qualified for higher education in recognized institutions of higher learning but are unable to support themselves financially.
The 1995 Constitution provides for protection and promotion of fundamental human rights and freedoms particularly under Chapter 4. Article 30 provides that all persons have a right to education and this is expounded in the preamble to the Constitution which provides for the National Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy that directs the State to take appropriate measures to afford every Ugandan citizen equal opportunities to attain the highest educational standard possible.
The essence of the Higher Education Students' Financing Board is to support the sector policy objective of increasing access to quality education in view of the large number of brilliant but needy students who are not among the 4,000 students sponsored by government and can-not raise fees for self sponsorship. In this regard, the Ministry of Education & Sports through the Higher Education Students’ Financing Act, 2014 established the Board to implement the objects of the Act on its behalf which is in line with the education sector policy objective.