PPP loans were provided to businesses so that their employees werent immediately fired wholesale - which is what would have happened to many businesses when the customer base dried up during lockdown/covid. businesses are a net gain to the economy - they provide economic stimulus. allowing businesses to fail would just start a collapse. PPP loans by the government worked to prevent that - rather well, in fact.
students eventually provide economic stimulus but are a net detriment until they are capable of adding back to the economy & that includes paying off their student loans.