The national president, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke has expressed the union’s reservation over the signing into law the education bill by President Bola Tinubu.
According to him, the student loan law, enacted to support indigent students is discriminatory saying ASUU would soon react to the development.
Speaking with the Punch, Osodeke hinted that ASUU will soon react to the development.
Osadeke said, “The union will react soon but everyone knows our position on student loans because you will end up encumbering the children of the poor with loans and debt after graduating. 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.”
President Tinubu on Monday, June 12, 2023 signed the student loan bill “in fulfilment of his promises to liberalise funding of education”.
The bill sponsored by Femi Gbajabiamila, the Speaker of the 9th House of Representatives passed the third reading at the House, two weeks ago.
Addressing the State House Correspondents on Monday, aide to the president, Dele Alake said the student loan law will enable indigent students to access government’s loans to fund the educational pursuit.
“This is a promise made during the presidential campaign by the then candidate, His Excellency Bola Tinubu, that he will bring back the student loans issue onto the front burner.
“And today, that promise he made has been kept. He has just signed that bill into law, which henceforth would allow or enable our indigent students to access Federal Government’s loans to fund the educational pursuit or career,” Alake said.
