Federal Government Urges Against Politicizing Student Loan Scheme

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Dr. Akintunde Sawyer, Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Education Loan Scheme (NELFund), has urged Nigerians not to politicize the student loan scheme due to its significant benefits.

It’s worth noting that President Bola Tinubu signed the Students Loan Bill, passed by the National Assembly, into law on June 12, 2023, aiming to facilitate easier access to tertiary education for indigent youths.

Initially scheduled to begin between September and October 2023, unforeseen circumstances led to a revised timeline, first to January, and now to March 2024.

Dr. Sawyer emphasized that the scheme is tailored for the future leaders of Nigeria, and concerted efforts are necessary to ensure its successful implementation.

He appealed to Nigerians to support the program despite its imperfections, noting that progress towards perfection requires starting somewhere.

Dr. Sawyer stressed the importance of avoiding politicization of such a crucial initiative aimed at assisting the youth, acknowledging that there will always be some dissatisfied parties when policies affecting many people are implemented.

He reiterated the inevitability of displeasure among certain groups and urged Nigerians to rally behind the scheme despite differing opinions.

Dr. Sawyer highlighted the immense impact the scheme could have and called for unified support to make it successful.

It’s worth remembering that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) had criticized the Students Loan Act shortly after its enactment.

ASUU’s National President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, expressed concerns that the scheme’s coverage fell short considering the over one million students in Nigerian public universities.

He also pointed out that the loan conditions were impractical, suggesting that more than 90 percent of students wouldn’t meet the stringent requirements for accessing and repaying the loan.