THE National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has called for the provision of study grants for Nigerian students in the Bill seeking to establish the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFund).
NANS President, Lucky Emonele, made the call in Abuja on Monday, March 18, when the Joint Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund and the House Committee on Students Loan, Scholarship and Higher Education Financing had held a public hearing on Students Loan (Access to Higher Education Repeal and Re- Enactment) Bill.
Emonele commended President Bola Tinubu for responding to request of NANS by including its leadership as representatives of the students on the loan Board and for the decision to repeal the Act to address gray areas that could hinder success of the loan scheme.
He stressed the need to make provision for grants to students to enable them complete or further their studies, saying such would encourage more students to enroll in school and alleviate the burden that may be placed on the loans.
“If the Federal Government, through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), could earmark N683billion for public tertiary institutions in 2024 without requesting for payback from beneficiary institutions, Nigerian students should not be treated any different,” he submitted.
The students leader said the repayment period of two years post after the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) scheme for the loan was not realistic, as less than 10 per cent of Nigerian graduates get absorbed into the labour force upon completion of their national service; hence he proposed a minimum of five years repayment duration, given the challenges of unemployment after graduation.
He also appealed that the provision of loan scheme should not be a further reason to arbitrary increments of school fees by management of tertiary institutions, urging the National Assembly to pass a resolution prohibiting public tertiary institutions from increasing school fees in the next 10 years as a way to sustain the Act when enacted.
Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, commended Tinubu for his passion and commitment toward the education sector, saying the President does not want any child of school age to be out of school, given his passion for the sector.
The minister said the public hearing would provide an opportunity to make further input to improve the Bill for the good of Nigerian students.
Chairman of the Committee, Senator Muntari Dandutse, said access to quality higher education was a pressing concern for many Nigerian students, and that the students loan scheme offers hope in addressing issues of students and ultimately improve Nigeria’s tertiary education.
He said the scheme would promote access to education and enable more students to pursue their dreams, adding that its successful implementation would unlock a brighter future for the youth and the entire nation.
“By removing financial barriers, these initiatives will enable more students to pursue higher studies, leading to a larger pool of skilled graduates who contribute to the country’s social and economic development. Increased literacy rates fosters economic growth, social progress and democratic participation,” he stated.
The senator urged all stakeholders to make valuable inputs to effect the positive change in the Bill and drive progress in the country’s tertiary education sector.
Stakeholders at the hearing include officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Federal Ministry of Education, Federal Ministry of Youth Development, Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS), Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), among others.
