……opts for grant
The Academic Staff Union of Universities on Tuesday lambasted the Federal Government over the introduction of students’ loans, adding that instead of loan beneficiaries should be given grants.
The union made this disclosure during a meeting at Gombe State, where executives from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi State University Gadau, Federal University Kashere, Gombe State University, Plateau State University and University of Jos were in attendance.
Speaking, Comrade Alphonsus Alubo, SAN lamented the use of loan scheme saying that it has discriminatory tendencies against students in State Universities.
“For ASUU, ASUU says don’t use the word loan scheme but use the word grant. These are all Nigerians you can give handouts to support students last night I read the person who manages the scheme saying that the loans are for students in Federal Universities and Polytechnics, meaning someone in Gombe State University can’t benefit from the scheme why the discrimination,” he said.
Alubo who doubles as Convener, Legal Committee of ASUU noted that beneficiaries would be those who don’t need the loans, “the children of the wealthy will be the ones to get it and a time will come when they won’t pay and government won’t do anything. You need to take a look at the conditions that you need to fulfill to get the loans which poor man’s son will fulfill the conditions.”
Also speaking, Immediate Past Coordinator of Bauchi zone, Comrade Lawan Abubakar, called on students to support their course, saying “We are against students taking loans from Federal Government because there are consequences. We know our situations even when they graduate successfully when do they get jobs to service the loans and ordinarily the country can give grants to students free. We have the capacity, why not grants?”
Also, Convener Ethics and Governance, Comrade Nanwa Vochir, criticised the sincerity of Federal Government.
He said, “This people who wants to give students’ loans, went to school with Nigeria’s money, they had enough to school. All of them today, their children schooling outside Nigeria. They claim to be rich men but which factories do they own, what are they producing.
“This issue of students’ loan scheme is meant to kill public universities. For instance your child gets N10 million loan to go to school and government says it will pay directly to the schools, which child will go to Gombe State University or University of Jos public school, where tomorrow ASUU will go on strike for improved funding they will take the money to Babalola University, Igbenedion University, no student will get the loan and come to public university.”
On his part, Coordinator of Bauchi zone, Comrade Namo Aku, called for re- negotiation of Federal Government of Nigeria and ASUU 2009 agreement, frowned at arbitrary dissolution of councils in public varsities, lamenting that in spite of the union’s rejection of Core Curriculum Academic Standards, “the Commission is hell-bent on enforcing its implementation with effect from the current academic session,” he said.
He added, “The development of CCMAS by the National Universities Commission is an attempt to usurp the functions of the senates of the respective universities, which are the authorities recognised by university laws to initiate academic programmes and to award degrees, diplomas and certificate.”
