Tanzania, July 15 -- Dar es Salaam. Tanzania's higher education sector is approaching a critical financing crossroads, The Citizen has learnt.

As universities expand, student enrolment continues to rise and the country's ambitions under Vision 2050 increasingly depend on a highly skilled workforce, the pressure on public financing has become more visible than ever.

The challenge was laid bare this week when the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Prof Carolyne Nombo, disclosed that the Higher Education Students' Loans Board (HESLB) has begun exploring alternative financing mechanisms as demand for student loans continues to grow.

Speaking while opening a meeting of chief executives and heads of ins...