Students on Biden's student loan forgiveness, “Biba student debt relief!"

“I will never stop trying to cancel student debt,” are the words President Joe Biden said amid his announcement of more relief for student loan borrowers.  

KUAM spoke to University of Guam students, who are sounding off in support of the President’s plans. 

Ally Sablan is a senior at UOG with a promising career in the health field, and she cheered, “Biba, student debt relief!” 

She joined students here at home and across the nation, seeking to gain a wealth of knowledge for their future but that pursuit comes with a hefty price tag.  

“I’m the only person paying for my college; I don't have any support from my family. I've had to work the entire time I've been in college, which has put a strain on my academics as I have to balance work and school. So, I end up doing homework while I'm at work,” she shared. 

It’s a tough balancing act that fellow Triton and Biology major Maria Marques relates to, she said, “It’s just one of those things where I have to work and balance school and sacrifice a lot to be able to afford to go to school.”

 It's why these UOG students said they support President Joe Biden’s announcement of canceling $7.4 billion in student loans for 277,000 borrowers. The relief benefits those enrolled in the Savings on a Valuable Education Repayment plan and in the Income-driven Repayment or Public Service Loan Forgiveness plans.

Marques said, “Through this relief, it would make higher education more accessible to people, and encourage people to actually go after that.” 

Biden also unveiled earlier this week updated plans to erase student loans, aimed at providing relief for more than 30 million Americans.

The effort was followed by heavy criticism of Biden’s original student debt relief program, which was struck down by the Supreme Court.

“I think historically, the education system has systematically left out people who are from lower classes–lower socio-economic classes. So I guess this is a way of compensating and compromising for that,” said Marques. 

Meantime, the US Education Department System said the public will have the opportunity to comment on the proposed actions in the coming weeks.