Without doubt, I always feel sad when I talk about my student loan. For 5 years in the medical school, I have been sponsored by a government student loan. Supposedly, the government student loan is awarded to the students who had excel in their exams during secondary school or pre-university matriculation. I rarely one of them. In fact, I get my student loan because of my race. In my country, the native people will have this “special case status” where they will be prioritize in competition for scholarship or even for student loan.

My student loan isn’t exactly a loan. It is more towards convertible loan, which means, if I perfom well in my exams for the whole course, it will eventually be converted to a scholarship. However, the fact that I failed twice in my previous professional exams and need to repeat that particular semester… Well, you know what it’s mean. I  need to pay the full amount of the money has been spent by the government on me. It is not a big deal for me. Not because I am rich, but because I understand my responsibility. Every debt need to be paid.  Since the loan is given by the government, it means that I am using people’s money. What come from the people, need to be returned to the people.

By getting the government student loan and considered to be “special”, I am not proud of it. I am actually feel sad. Why in my very own country, which is said as prosperous and harmony, I still need to borrow. While at the same time, I heard everyday that the government spent billions and billions of money to the area that I do not give benefit for the most people. More overly, that billions project that I talked about are poured to only some regional group of crooks. The crooks get the money, and the people can only borrow for their education. How ridiculous is that? Is that the sign of good governance?

To be honest, I will be more proud if all of my study expenses is paid by my parent and not the government. I believe that’s what all parents should do. It is parent’s responsibility to give education to their children without depending too much on the government student loan or scholarship. But I can’t do much. My parents were just teachers and the cost to make me a doctor in this country is about half a million. They could not afford that amount by just being a teacher. That is why the “special case situation” is not good for the people especially who are just as the same race as me. They will just tend to easily satisfied with what they have and do not want to work and gain for more.

Perhaps now I can only talk about this matter. But, I made a promise to my self. Once I have children, boys and girls, as much as I could I will make sure that I will educate them all without depending on any government student loan or even private student loan.

Back to the question of where to get student loan; I don’t really know since every country will have their own loan programme or scholarship for students. I think the best way is to refer to your country’s education ministry or finance ministry. If they do not have the answer, throw the government out in the next election. LOL.