The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has strongly criticised the proposed education loan scheme, warning that it could lead students into permanent debt. Following its National Executive Council meeting at the Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State, ASUU issued a statement on Thursday expressing its dismay over the failure of the Bola Tinubu-led administration to address long-standing issues that led to the nationwide strike from February to October 2022.
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”For the avoidance of doubt, the NEC of ASUU reiterated its rejection of the Student Loan Scheme, which is being promoted by international money lending agencies such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. Nigerians should be aware that the scheme is a way of starving public universities of funding and a ploy to divert public funds into private universities owned by politically exposed individuals and their friends,” the statement read.
ASUU stressed the historical pattern of successive Nigerian governments failing to implement agreements reached with the union, resulting in periodic industrial actions to protect its members’ rights. ASUU also highlighted several unsolved issues, including the non-payment of Earned Academic Allowance, the stalling renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN agreement, exclusion from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), delayed revitalization money, and withholding salaries.
Regarding the proposed Student Loan Scheme, ASUU adamantly rejected it.
In its statement, ASUU urged Nigerians to remain vigilant, emphasising the detrimental impact the loan scheme could have on the country’s higher education sector. The union restated its commitment to advocating for sustainable solutions that prioritise the interests of public universities and students.
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