University and polytechnic lecturers warn against raising tuition fees under the guise of a student loan scheme.
Lecturers doubt the scheme’s success as beneficiaries must start to repay loans two years after NYSC. Graduates struggle to find jobs, making repayment difficult. Defaulting incurs a N500,000 fine or two years imprisonment. The scheme begins this September, as stated by the Federal Government.
ASUU and ASUP believe that the high unemployment rate in Nigeria sets the stage for the scheme’s failure, despite their support to avoid fee increases. They said that if repayment is not possible, the fund will run out. ASUU’s National President, Prof. Osodeke, said, “Tuition fees are rising subtly, forcing students to take out loans.” The poor children may struggle to access it, as the wealthy tend to monopolize resources in Nigeria. Rich graduate, get a job; poor, benefit scheme, no job to repay. No support for a fee hike.
The union will soon respond, but our stance on the scheme is clear. It may not help poor children and could burden them with debt. Reduce governance costs, eliminate wasteful spending, and free up funds for education and social services. The ASUP President claims the law ignores economic realities. The scheme is bound to fail as Nigeria’s unemployment rate is over 30%. Introducing tuition fees to support poor children’s education is ironic. It seems that the supporters of this law are out of touch with reality. Assess the reality on the ground and take appropriate action. If graduates can’t find jobs and must still repay, the scheme will fail. Tuition is free, but service charges such as acceptance fees, ID card fees, and hostel fees have increased. Students who can’t pay are told to seek a loan. The government should gather stakeholders, experts, and citizens to brainstorm ways to fund education and divert funds from unnecessary areas.
The NAPTAN President supports the scholarship scheme but believes improvements are needed. Not all students have wealthy parents to sponsor their education. Education for poor students depends on proper scheme management and avoiding Nigerian factors. I’m wary about the guidelines. Public school students benefit more than private school students due to socioeconomic factors.
The NANS expressed concern about the repayment conditions of the initiative and feels that the government needs to answer some questions. The repayment ultimatum is impossible since many graduates struggle to find employment and can’t afford to pay it back. The Southwest Coordinator asks about the work plan for jobless people two years after NYSC.
Tertiary institutions in the country have increased charges, including acceptance fees and hostel fees, according to our correspondent’s investigation. Acceptance fees at UI and FUTA have increased from N37,000 to N50,000 and from N20,000 to N50,000, respectively. New students will pay N108,000 (formerly N50,000) at some institutions and N252,000 (formerly N131,500) at the University of Maiduguri. The University of Uyo requires N107,750 from students, while non-hostel students at The Polytechnic, Ibadan, now pay N15,000 instead of N5,000.
