As January approaches its close, students are growing increasingly frustrated over the prolonged wait for the initiation of education loans. The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), serving as the umbrella body for student concerns, has raised alarm, stating that the loan portal has yet to be opened for applications.
Expressing their unease, NANS highlighted concerns over recent tuition hikes by some higher institutions, emphasizing the urgency of disbursing the loans before the end of the month. While the federal government has assured that January remains the target for the commencement of the student loan scheme, the delay in opening the application portal has left students anxious.
In a statement released on Friday, the coordinator of NANS Zone C, Comrade Anzaku Shedrack, called on President Bola Tinubu to expedite the implementation of the student loan before January concludes. Shedrack also underscored the importance of involving NANS in the committees overseeing the disbursement of student loans.
“As we speak, up until now, we don’t even know anything about the student loan bill. All we know is that there is a student loan bill that is supposed to commence in January. We have not been given access or any other information since the pronouncement of that deadline,” lamented Shedrack.
He further emphasized the critical need for clarity on the commencement process, expressing the frustration of students who are faced with increasing school fees and uncertainty about the availability of the promised student loans.
“If NANS can be inducted as one of the committees that will supervise the disbursement of student loans, it will help because we have our structures down to the grassroots and we have representatives at each state and each school,” urged Shedrack.
With the current date being the 17th of January, the lack of updates on the student loan scheme has left students discontented and seeking prompt action from the government to address their concerns.
