The National President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, and the National President of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Anderson Ezeibe, have expressed their concerns over the Student Loan Bill recently signed into law by President Bola Tinubu.
The Student Loan Bill aims at liberalizing funding of education and will also enable indigent students to access loans at interest-free rates.
Reacting to the development, Osodeke described the loan bill as discriminatory.
“This is discriminatory. If what I read online is correct, it said it is only for children whose parents earn at least N500,000 per annum. That means if your father earns more, you won’t benefit,” Osodeke said.
Similarly, the National President, ASUP, Mr Anderson Ezeibe, said, “I have not studied the bill and we don’t want to react on the surface. But I have seen one area that will not be practicable.
“It says that students should refund the money two years after NYSC. But what is the provision for someone who is not working after NYSC? And will they all get jobs immediately after NYSC?”
Also, the Cordinator, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Zone D, Adejuwon Emmanuel, faulted the repayment terms, stating that the ultimatum for repayment is not feasible as most graduates do not get jobs immediately.