Seeks inclusion of private tertiary institutions in NELFUND
…Sidelining private varsity students from NELFUND unfair —BOWEN VC
THE National Association of Nigeria Students, NANS, yesterday, threatened to disrupt academic activities in tertiary institutions in the South-West without proper student unions in place.
Addressing newsmen in Osogbo, the Coordinator, NANS Southwest (Zone D), Owolewa Taiwo, warned that banning student union activities on campus is inimical to the welfare of students on such campuses.
He said some schools, including Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Osun State Polytechnic Iree and Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso were among the schools where the management banned student union activities, adding that NANS would not hesitate to embark on mass protests in such schools.
His words: “It has come to our attention that institutions such as Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso and notably the University of Lagos, UNILAG, still lack a functional Students’ Union. The National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, Zone D, under my leadership, believes that the absence of functional Students’ Unions is a glaring affront to the rights and aspirations of Nigerian students. We will not stand idle as students’ voices are silenced and their interests are neglected in this institution.
“Having exhausted the first two C’s of Aluta in advocating for the reinstatement of the Students’ Union at these campuses, we are left with the final C: Confrontation. We, hereby, issue a 14-day ultimatum to UNILAG, OSPOLY and LAUTECH to reinstate its students’ union. If this demand is not met, the association will mobilize a massive protest to disrupt academic activities and bring the issue to national attention. This absence undermines students’ rights and limits their ability to voice and safeguard their interests.”
Speaking on excluding private tertiary institutions from NELFUND, the NANS leader urged the Federal Government to allow them to benefit from the scheme.
He said: “NANS umbrella covers students that are Nigerians irrespective of where they are school. NELFUND is designed to benefit Nigerian students; hence, if students of private tertiary institutions want to apply, they should be free to do so. They are also Nigerians and have the right to seek government assistance.”
Sidelining private varsity students from NELFUND unfair — BOWEN VC
Meanwhile, the Vice-Chancellor, Bowen University, Iwo, in Osun State, Professor Jonathan Babalola, yesterday, tackled the Federal Government for ignoring students of private tertiary institutions in the Nigeria Education Loan Fund scheme, NELFUND.
Professor Babalola, who addressed newsmen ahead of the institution’s 19th convocation ceremony inside the campus, said students of private tertiary institutions are Nigerians who ordinarily should benefit from such a scheme.
He said: The NELFUND is a loan meant for Nigerian students, so I believe that anybody in a private university who needs such a loan should be given since it is a loan that will be returned and paid back in the long run, why do we discriminate against such, I want government to know that not all students in private universities are rich enough to afford it, there are some who because of strike in public universities would not want their children to waste their years in public universities.
“So some people will go for cooperative loans and the like just because they want their children to attend private universities and finish on time so I think they ought to be deprived of this kind of benefit. I think it is unfair for them.”
Peoplesmind
