In an interview with ARISE NEWS, Akintunde Sawyer, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, broke the disheartening news.
President Bola Tinubu’s signing of the bill into law was supposed to initiate the plan in September or October 2023; however, there were several delays. Former Speaker of the House of Representatives Femi Gbajabiamila supported the law and expressed optimism for its prompt adoption.
Even after Tinubu made promises that the program would start in January 2024, the planning process was still behind schedule. During a meeting in January, Minister of State for Education Yusuf Sununu declared that all necessary preparations, including the creation of the Student Loan Scheme website and thorough planning for the rollout, had been completed.
Furthermore, Tinubu suggested additional delays while new aspects were being explored during talks with leaders of the National Association of Nigerian Students, hinting at the possibility of including vocational education in the curriculum.
But just 48 hours before the planned launch, Sawyer broke the bad news, just as excitement was building. Many prospective students were unsure about the scheme’s future when he postponed it, citing the necessity for repairs and alignment among stakeholders as justifications.
The story of the Nigerian Students Loan Scheme’s delays highlights the difficulties in bringing about meaningful educational reforms in the nation, leaving stakeholders and aspirational students in the dark.
Credit: Allschoolabs, Allschool
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