Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFund), alongside the National leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), on Thursday, engaged in a sensitisation meeting with students of the Ebonyi State University (EBSU), Abakaliki, on the benefits of the student loan.
Managing Director of NELFund, Dr. Akintunde Sawyyer led senior officials of NELFund to the engagement, while the National President of NANS, Comrade Lucky Emonefe, and Senior Special Assistant to the President on Student Engagement, Sunday Asefon, led the students body to the meeting held at the school campus in Abakaliki.
NELFund Managing Director, in his address to the students, said the engagement was designed to expose the students to the huge benefits of loan, and the good intentions of the Federal Government, which is for all eligible students to access quality tertiary education irrespective of financial background.
He highlighted the process of applying for the loan, insisting that NELFund made the process simple and seamless, with less human interaction so that no one can be denied the opportunity of accessing the loan for education.
He neutralised the fear of the students that they would be harassed or intimidated if they default in repaying the loan, insisting that the loan is interest-free, and a student can only start repaying the loan two years after the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) and working.
He explained that no one is or will be harassed for not repaying the loan. “You will start loan repayment two years of graduation and completion of NYSC. Please also note that you cannot be reached for repayment of the loan if you are not working yet. So, don’t deny yourself the opportunity to get education because of funds.”
He further informed the students that in addition to the tuition fees which are paid 100 per cent to the institutions, students are given monthly stipends for upkeep. “Please take advantage of this great opportunity to acquire education without stress.”
NANS President, Lucky Emonefe, neutralised the fear of the students, and encourage them to embrace the opportunity, so as not to loose out in the opportunity.
He assured them of the genuineness of the system, adding that it’s not for few privileged people as being erroneously believed by many people, but for all students who indicated interest and submitted the necessary information to the provided portal.
Mrs. Chioma Nweze, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (South East), in her remarks, said the sensitisation meeting became necessary following the obvious poor interest of the students in the South East schools to access the loan.
She said: “We shouldn’t be lagging behind in things like this. This loan is available for all Nigerian students to assess irrespective of region, religion, political affiliation, or other differences, and if people from other regions are already enjoying the services, why should we be holding back? It’s important we leverage this opportunity to support our education.”
EBSU Vice Chancellor, Prof. Chigozie Ogbu, in his remarks, appreciated NELFund for the sensitisation opportunity, and highlighted some of the challenges they encountered in the cause of the application, and appealed to NELFund management to address the issues to enable seamless application.
He, however, assured NELFund that the school management will continue to enlighten the students on the benefits of the student loan, in addition to providing the necessary guide for seamless application.
“We have done this sensitisation in the past, and we saw the positive response we received from the students. The presence of senior NELFund and NANS officials in this engagement with students will further strengthen the confidence and trust of the students to the credibility and genuineness of the process,” he said.
EduTimes Africa, a product of Education Times Africa, is a magazine publication that aims to lend its support to close the yawning gap in Africa's educational development.