Dear Editor,

I have often heard complaints from friends and associates about the inefficiencies and poor customer service of the Students’ Loan Bureau (SLB). The sheer prevalence of these tales were foreshadowing that I would not be spared my own story.

My student loan became due for repayment in September of 2023, at which time I received an e-mail stating my loan balance, interest accumulated, and a loan amortisation schedule. I have diligently been making payments, greater than the minimum monthly amount. I noted in January 2025 that I had not received any subsequent statements, quarterly or annually, indicating my loan balances.

On January 28, 2025 I e-mailed an SLB representative requesting a loan statement. I received no response and so e-mailed again on February 12 requesting to be advised of my loan officer. I received a response the next day from the representative, indicating that she was my client relationship officer and providing a form for me to submit by e-mail. I submitted the request form the next day, February 14. I received no response and so reached out again on February 19 requesting an update. The officer replied February 20, stating that the wait time for the request is two weeks.

This letter is being penned on March 20, which is almost five weeks later, and despite my consistent efforts by e-mail following up with the responsible officer, I have still not received my loan statement/status letter. The officer did not provide her phone extension and attempting to call SLB customer service is futile, as you will either be placed on call-waiting for hours to not have your problem resolved or, worse, disconnected.

In 2025 it is incredible that SLB borrowers cannot use a web or mobile application to check their loan balances or the status of their payments. This is almost standard for most institutions that offer loans, particularly loans of the size associated with tertiary education. Instead, we are subject to uncertainty as to whether SLB has received our payments or has been applying them to the loan balance or principal. I have a friend who thought she had completed paying off her student loans only to be told by SLB that she had been incorrectly double discounted on her loan interest under an SLB incentive for multiple-loan beneficiaries. That error could have been picked up earlier if she was able to track her loan payments and balances via an app and do her own calculations.

SLB treats us with little to no consideration when our only crime is that we aren’t rich enough to pay our tuition without borrowing. The Students’ Loan Bureau needs to step into the future and do better.

Payton Patterson

paytonpatterson97@gmail.com