Tinubu Berates Varsities Lecturers for Criticizing the Student Loan Scheme

President Tinubu has indicted those casting aspersion at the student loan scheme of his administration, especially university lecturers.

The President said he had expected them to suggest to the government how the scheme could be better implemented in their various institutions.

Tinubu speaking on the scheme, during the convocation ceremony of the Federal University, Oye Ekiti (FUOYE), said it was designed to give access to university education and relieve parents struggling to send their children to universities.

The President, who was represented at the occasion by the Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, said despite the criticism, there is no going back on the scheme by his administration.

According to him, education is not cheap anywhere and his administration would not promote education that would not advance the country.

Tinubu urged other universities to take a cue from FUOYE on subscription figures and carrying capacity, which he said, beats others in its generation as well as that of a good number of older generation universities.

According to him, the government decided to yield to pressure to cancel the policy of automatic deduction of 40% of universities’ IGR, to allow the universities to breathe.

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In June 2023, we approved the Student Loan Scheme to make the accessibility of quality education incontestable. Following this announcement, there was a baffling response from several quarters on the credibility and workability of the scheme, to the government’s amazement.

One thing that should be known is that education is not cheap anywhere in the world. This government is not ready to endorse education that will not advance the nation.

Student loan schemes are not rocket science initiatives, they are designed to grant access to all who are willing and who know the value of education in a way to take the burden off numerous individuals and communities who may have been intervening painfully in sending their wards to school, he said.

Mr. Tinubu stressed that he expected scholars to advise the government on how best the scheme could be managed in their respective institutions rather than cast aspersions on the idea.

He assured all stakeholders in the education sector to expect more interventions, noting that some will be painful while some will be immediately reassuring.

In his remarks at the occasion, the Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, called on universities in the country to prioritize research efforts aimed at tackling critical challenges confronting the nation. He also tasked them with producing graduates who are solution providers.

The governor emphasized the urgent need for homegrown solutions to Nigeria’s diverse challenges, stressing the importance of equipping students with practical skills and real-world experience through hands-on learning and industry partnership.

Similarly, the Chancellor of FUOYE and Attah of Igala, Matthew Opaluwa Oguche, in his address, lent his voice to the call for more funding for universities to be able to fulfill their statutory roles more efficiently.