Kunle Adelabu
Hon. Olawunmi Abdulrasaq Ajetunmobi, a member of the Governing Council, University of Jos (UNIJOS) and General Secretary, Ikorodu Division Apex APC body, has charged state and local governments across the nation to do more in terms of sensitising the public on the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).
He said that such sensitisation would assist in correcting some misconceptions and make students access the loan more in supporting their education and relieve their parents’ financial burden.
The Governing Council member who spoke with THE IMPACT in Ijede Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Ikorodu Division, Lagos State, Southwest, Nigeria, said less than half of the students at UNIJOS have applied for the scheme, a situation that was caused by wrong perception of the policy.
“Mr President introduced NELFUND to give support to students and prevent them from dropping out of school or not completing their education because of lack of money. The programme was designed to support indigent students to have support in completing their university education.
“The programme is not really new in the real sense of it. All over the world, this is what is applicable. Students are given opportunities to access the government fund so that they can go ahead to acquire the best education without any hindrance after which they are expected to get employed and once they get employed, they are expected to pay back the loan in stipends,” he explained.
“The UNIJOS governing council member further posited, “What I have personally observed from my own university with a population of about 6000 students, is that one would have expected that by now we should be asking the government to increase the opportunity but less than 50% of students have applied.
“We found out that it is the fear of the loan. The fear of payment of interest on the loan obtained and what will happen to their certificates after graduation and the challenges of securing job after their university education; but these are all misconceived notions about the scheme.
“The whole exercise encourages the students to apply and they have access to the loan. When you finished your programme, you are allowed to serve in the NYSC and after that get employment which the government would facilitate.
“It is when you get job that you are expected to pay back the loan gradually to the federal government”, he said.
While stating that the scheme is not new, Hon Ajetunmobi also appealed to students to take advantage of the gesture by the federal government in supporting their educational attainment.
“As I have said, it is not new at all. If we ask our fathers, many of them went to school through the help of this loan either abroad or in Nigeria and after finishing their education came back to serve their country and today, they are in high places.
“I think that Mr President re -introduced the scheme because he is godly and for the fact that he himself experienced the same thing and went to school and finished on the same scheme and now feel that this is the way to support the young ones.
“We will just appeal to our parents and students to avail themselves of this opportunity. It is an opportunity that Nigerians have experienced long time ago. Whatever fear that they have is not necessary and to those that are enjoying it, I say congratulations to them because they have no fear of dropping out of school.
“We want to appeal to others to take advantage of the laudable policy,” he appealed.
He stated that students in Lagos State are doing fairly well in terms of accessing the NELFUND. Hon. Ajetunmobi therefore charged state and local governments to support the FG in enlightening the populace on the scheme:
“Recently, I met students across the Ikorodu Division who I spoke with as regards NELFUND and other things. The loan is a process, they need to go to the website and apply. They don’t need to know any leader. Rather, they are only expected to apply and their application will be processed and once it is through, the applicant and his school will be informed about it.
“In Ikorodu, I believe that our students are doing fairly well but we still need to charge them to do more. I don’t know the figures, but you know this is Lagos and we have ways of responding to matters like that and when it comes to Lagos State, Ikorodu is always in the forefront.
“It is important for both the state and local government to get involved and sensitise the populace on the benefits of NELFUND. It is not Mr President’s job alone. From the local government to the state, we need advocacy especially from the students’ union in all institutions. They should embark on sensitising their members and allay their fears regarding the loan.
“Perhaps, government at the local level can get town criers and make use of religious and community leaders to get the information around
“We need our students to access this scheme and make good use of it so as for it to be a success and beneficial to everyone”, Hon. Ajetunmobi said
