Declares Whether we like it or not, the government can no longer support universities financially, according to Adejo.
The Federal Government, which is headed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has declared that it can no longer support the nation’s universities financially. Permanent Secretary for the Federal Ministry of Education Andrew David Adejo stressed during a media briefing in Abuja on Wednesday that while universities already have autonomy, they do not have financial autonomy, the news medium reports.
Whether we like it or not, the government can no longer support universities financially, according to Adejo. That is why we are aiming for public-private partnerships. The autonomy of the universities already exists; what they lack is financial independence. The government is actively working towards obtaining it so they can address this issue once they do. In addition to this development, President Tinubu has given instructions to pertinent parties to make sure that student loans are disbursed by the end of the September/October 2023/2024 academic session. Adejo addressed some rumours and made it clear that an inter-ministerial committee would be established the following week to streamline the loan application procedure with the goal of providing loans to students in six weeks.
He also made sure to emphasise that the loan programme would help private school students as well, who also needed the chance to get financial aid.
Adejo emphasised the importance of paying for not only tuition but also extra costs like lodging and living expenses. “We want to make sure that the loan programme helps students pay for their education from start to finish. Adejo said, “It’s not just about paying tuition; it’s about offering a complete solution to assist students in their academic journey.
He also emphasised that the current law is an attempt to learn from earlier errors, when there were more unsuccessful loan repayments than there were defaults. “You cannot give someone a loan and instruct them to pay their tuition without supporting their institution. The federal government would not grant you a loan that would not ensure that you get in, stay in, and graduate from college; therefore, even though tuition at public universities is free, you still have to pay for your housing. “We want the current act to learn from the error of the past where there are more defaulters than people who paid the bill, the past is like it is a government money come and take and go, free money but that is not going to be the case with this,” one person said.
Source: News Week
