The President Bola Tinubu led administration will launch the Student Loan Scheme on Thursday, March 14, 2024.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Ajuri Ngelale, said this on Sunday during TVC’s Politics on Sunday monitored by our correspondent.
On the programme titled ‘Counting the Cost of Presidents Tinubu’s Reforms,’ Ngelale highlighted some of the President’s welfare initiatives being implemented at the moment, saying, “Later this week, on Thursday, the President will launch the historic National Student Loan Programme.”
“This is a major form of obligation reduction for Nigerians and families and young people at a time when Nigerians are feeling the pinch. We believe this is the way to go,” he added.
Tinubu had on June 12, 2023, signed the Access to Higher Education Act, 2023, into law to enable indigent students to access interest-free loans for their educational pursuits in any Nigerian tertiary institution.
The move was in “fulfillment of one of his campaign promises to liberalise funding of education,” a member of the then Presidential Strategy Team, Dele Alake, said.
The Act, popularly known as the Students Loan Law, also established the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, which is expected to handle all loan requests, grants, disbursement, and recovery.
Meanwhile, members of the Nigerian community in West Yorkshire, United Kingdom have called for the inclusion of students studying abroad in the student loan scheme.
Representing the community members in a meeting with the acting Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Cyprian Heen, on Saturday, Tunmise Ajiboye urged him to advocate the inclusion of students in foreign countries in the government’s loan scheme.
He said, “As a representative of Nigerians living here in the United Kingdom, we are gathered here not just as individuals seeking education and economic breakthroughs but as a collective voice demanding support and recognition from our government back home.
“Therefore, today, we stand united in calling upon the Nigerian government to make the following requests:
“Diaspora voting: International passport renewal delivery by post in Nigeria and the diaspora.
“Support for the students in the exchange rate and FX; inclusion of Nigerians studying abroad in the proposed student loan programme of the Federal Government.
“Lastly, provide a platform for Nigerians living abroad who may want their children to get Nigeria’s state of origin.”
