It argued that less than 10 per cent of graduates get absorbed into the labour market within two years post-NYSC.

It, therefore, proposed that the repayment should begin five years after NYSC.

President of NANS, Lucky Emonele, made the call in Abuja on Monday at a public hearing on the repeal and re-enactment of 2024 Students Loans Access to Higher Education Bill 2024.

The public hearing was organised by the Senate Committee on Education and TETFUND and the House of Representatives Committee on Student Loan, Scholarship and Higher Education Financing.

Emonele commended President Bola Tinubu for responding to the request of NANS, by including its leadership as representatives of the students on the loan board.

He added that the students also commended the decision to repeal the Act to address grey areas that could hinder the success of the student loan scheme.

He said the proposed repayment period of two years post-NYSC for the loan was not realistic, saying that less than 10 per cent of Nigerian graduates get absorbed into the labour force upon completion of their  NYSC.

The NANS President, therefore proposed a minimum of five years repayment duration, given the challenges of unemployment after graduation.

The NANS president also called for the provision of study grants for Nigerian students in the Act seeking to establish the Nigeria Education Loan Fund.

He also appealed that the provision of a loan scheme should not be a further reason for an arbitrary increment of school fees by the management of tertiary institutions.

He urged the National Assembly to pass a resolution that prohibits public tertiary institutions from increasing school fees in the next 10 years.

This, he said, was the only way to sustain the act when enacted.

According to him, there is also a need to make provision for grants for students, to enable them to complete or further their studies.

This, he said, would encourage more students to enroll in school and alleviate the burden that may be placed on the loans.

“If the Federal Government, through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, could earmark N683bn for public tertiary institutions in 2024, without requesting for payback from beneficiary institutions, Nigerian students should not be treated any differently.”

The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, commended President Bola Tinubu for his passion and commitment to the education sector.

According to him, the President does not want any child of school age to be out of school, given his passion for education.

The minister said the public hearing would provide an opportunity to make further input to improve the bill for the good of Nigerian students.

The chairman of the committee, Senator Muntari  Dandutse, said access to quality higher education was a pressing concern for many Nigerian students.

Dandutse said its successful implementation would unlock a brighter future for the youths and the entire nation.

By removing financial barriers, these initiatives will enable more students to pursue higher studies, leading to a larger pool of skilled graduates who contribute to the country’s social and economic development. Increased literacy rates foster economic growth, social progress, and democratic participation.”

Earlier, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio,  said that the legislative agenda of the 10th National Assembly would bring about tremendous improvement in the standard of living of Nigerians.

Represented by the Deputy Senate  President, Jibrin Barau, he commended President Tinubu for his foresight and uncommon passion for supporting the students of the country with the loan scheme.

The call followed the recent increase in tuition and other fees in some public tertiary institutions as part of their plans to cope with the removal of fuel subsidies by the Federal Government which had resulted in an escalation of the cost of living in the country.

Universities that increased their fees include the University of Lagos, Obafemi Awolowo University, Tai Solarin University of Education, University of Jos, and Lagos State University, among others.

However, the development was greeted with protest as stakeholders expressed their dissatisfaction with the raised tuition fees announced.

The director of the National Association of Nigerian Students, Okafor Ernest, who spoke on behalf of the union, said no school had unilateral power to increase tuition fees.

He said, “The President of NANS, Lucky Omonefe, said no institution had the right to increase the fees, and that currently, parents were suffering to cater to their children and make sure they go to school.

“Increasing the school fees is also inflicting hardship on the parents, knowing that the country is not stable. We know things are not normal and we have said that there should be no increment for now.”

NANS executive members, led by the  National Public Relations Officer, Giwa Temitope; National Vice President, External, Akinteye Afeez; and the Deputy Senate President, Ekundina Elvis among others, on Thursday, condemned the arrest of students who were protesting fee hike at UNILAG Junction on Wednesday.

The PUNCH reports that some of the protesters, Adeyeye Olorunfemi, Philip Olatinwo, Aduwo Ayodele and the Giwa, among others, were later released by the police in the evening. The security agencies had fired teargas to disperse the students at UNILAG Junction during the protest.

The Lagos State Police Command had on Tuesday said the students should inform the police of its protest plans for adequate measures to be provided but the students kicked against this, saying protest is a fundamental human right

.

Addressing a press conference at the International Press Centre, Ogba, Ikeja, Lagos, the student leaders said, “We want to state that the repression that was meted out during our protest on Wednesday against the astronomical increase in fees payable at the University of Lagos is condemnable.”

According to NANS, the decision to protest the fee hike was reached after the management of the University of Lagos allegedly failed to meet the terms of the agreement met with the students on August 2, 2023 “where the Vice Chancellor assured us that the fee would be reversed and reviewed through a joint body of students and management staff of the university.”

When contacted for a reaction on Wednesday, the Head, Communications Unit, UNILAG, Adejoke Alaga-Ibraheem, said the management was not against lawful protest. She directed the students to channel their grievances to the right channel.

“The university is not against lawful and peaceful protests by our students. Our students, who are currently on vacation, are enjoined to channel all grievances through the Dean, Student Affairs, who is officially empowered to interact with students,” Alaga-Ibraheem said in a chat with our correspondent.

But insisting that the student body would storm UNILAG again, the NANS leaders said, “The management of the University of Lagos is hereby given 48 hours ultimatum to immediately reverse the fees as agreed upon and refund students that must have paid the astronomical fees.”

“Consequently, all students’ union presidents, NANS leadership, and the Nigerian students are hereby put on notice to begin mobilisations. We shall be hitting the UNILAG gates again. The country is bleeding economically and education cannot be traded for illiteracy. It is our fundamental human right to be educated. The police authority must henceforth stop the repression of students and people’s protests. We warn all higher education and Unity Schools never to add a kobo to the fees,” they added.

The UNILAG management in July 2023 increased fees from N19,000 to N190,250 for students studying medicine while for courses that require laboratory and studio, the students were to pay N140,250. The management cited “prevailing economic realities” as reasons.

Director, GNEC, Mrs. Olasubomi Iginla-Aina, during a media chat last Wednesday said that based on findings during her visit to Northern Cyprus and interaction with Nigerian students there, the Central Bank of Nigeria’s directive on transfer policy was the major challenge the students were facing.

She added that this had led to the deportation of a number of them or the inability to sit exams and further their education.

“The students complained that they don’t get money sent from Nigeria on time. This is because the CBN money transfer is delayed in all the schools in TRNC. But the CBN policy for money transfers should be as easy as ABC. Let children receive money easily instead of delaying it. The government should look into the transfer policy of CBN and help.”

Iginla-Aina explained that the government of Northern Cyprus, Nigerian students, and the University authorities complained about the false agents, who were raising the expectations of Nigerians that there were job opportunities in TRNC.

On the contrary, there were not many job opportunities there.

She revealed that the Northern Cyprus system told her that deportation rates would increase as persons with fake documents would be detected with the improved Information Technology system in the immigration services of Northern Cyprus.

She called on the Nigerian government to strengthen diplomatic ties with the country.

She said, “Our children are going there. We stand to gain a lot more if we take steps to help our people.”

President, of the National Association of Nigerian Students, TRCN, Opeoluwa Ojekemi, who spoke via Zoom during the parley said the CBN directive had affected Nigerians studying in Northern Cyprus negatively.

He revealed that the settlement of fees, rents, and other needs was difficult.

Ojekemi also criticized the role of fake agents in propagating false information about immediate employment upon arrival.

The NANS delegation was led by the body’s National President, Umar Barambu.

Speaking to State House Correspondents after engagements with the President, Barambu revealed that they urged him to review the constitution of the special committee that will oversee the new Nigerian Education Loan Fund to include student representatives.

The NANS President said: “We   thank the President for the Students Loan Bill. We have outlined the clauses that we are not too comfortable with. And part of them is the issue of that board that we mentioned to the President, which we said at least students’ representatives should be captured and there are some organisations that they put there, which to us, they don’t need to be there.

“We gave him an example, most especially the Nigerian Bar Association, ASUU. ASUU has its own  microfinance bank running their own affairs without students on their board. So, I don’t think it’s wise for us to allow them to be inside our own board because it is purely students.

“We are the major stakeholders of that bank. So I don’t think allowing them to be there is good. Not only them, we mentioned a lot of people that they should remove and put more of student-oriented organisation.”

In response,  the President promised to consider the requests of the NANS leaders but urged the students’ body to ensure unity among its members across the country to achieve more.

You have to promote unity and stability among each other. You have to employ democratic means in your programmes and elections. I have to say anyone who is unable to accept and celebrate a free and fair election, does not deserve the joy of victory,” Tinubu said.

The President stresed that poverty should not prevent any Nigerian from obtaining quality education at the highest levels.

Therefore, he pledged that his administration would commit more resources to the education sector to ensure that every Nigerian child, regardless of their background, has access to quality education.

“Poverty should not prevent anybody, any child, including the daughter or son of a wood seller, ‘boli’ (plantain) seller or yam seller from attaining their highest standard of education, to eliminate poverty,” Tinubu said when he received the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students at the State House, Abuja.

“If we all believe that education is the greatest weapon against poverty, then we have to invest in it. If you eliminate poverty from one family, you can carry the rest of the weight,” the President said.

He thanked the students for supporting the removal of subsidy on petrol, explaining the reasons behind the decision and the need to curb smuggling.

I’m glad you understand the reason for the subsidy removal. We were at a point where Nigeria tried to draw water from a dry well and that is no longer acceptable and we equally must not continue to service the smugglers because they used to take our tankers and Premium Motor Spirit across the borders.  We will put our money where our mouth is,” he said.

NANS, in a statement by its SW zone, obtained on Thursday, and signed by its Coordinator, deputy Coordinator and Public Relations Officer; Adegboye Olatunji, Alao John and Awoyinfa Opeoluwa respectively, said the Federal Government had failed to prioritise education under the present administration.

NANS said paying half salaries to lecturers was capable of dampening the morale of lecturers, which in turn, will affect the students.

“The actions, inactions and body language of President Buhari led administration have left us with no doubt that there is poor attention to the education sector under this government.

And like the proverbial King who reigned during a period of widespread discomfort, the degeneration and acute deterioration experienced in the educational sector will not be forgotten in a hurry by Nigerians.

“Just as Nigerian students are finally able to smile after the suspension of an eight-month-long ASUU strike, the Federal Government in their usual retrogressive inclinations has deemed it ‘wise’ to pay half salaries to members of ASUU. This ill-advised action, if allowed to stand, will not only set a bad precedence, but ruin the already tattered morale of our lecturers and further weaken the already debilitated trust between the said union and the government,” NANS said.

NANS said ASUU only suspended its eight-month industrial action in obedience to the National Industrial Court and the intervention of some well-meaning individuals.

Ironically, those directly appointed and being paid from our commonwealth to oversee education andlLabour matters namely; Mallam Adamu Adamu (the Minister for Education); Dr. Chris Ngige ( the Minister of Labour and Employment); and Festus Keyamo (the Minister of State for Labour and Employment) made meagre contributions to the development.

“As a matter of fact, we have it on good record that Ngige particularly was willing to crash the entire sector just to bring ASUU on its knees and massage his own fragile ego.

From all indications, if drastic measures aren’t taken, the Federal Government and its overpaid employee; Ngige seems ready to bury the entire educational sector,” the students said.

NANS claimed that if ASUU chose to boycott work again as a result of the decision of the FG, “the government might as well forget about tertiary education completely.”

The student body, sympathising with the lecturers, said while the no-work-no pay policy may make sense in some instances, the peculiarity of Nigeria’s educational system must be prominently recognised and seriously considered.

“It is well established that upon resumption of academic activities, lecturers must continue from where they had stopped before the strike, and therefore perform all expected responsibilities.

“Consequently, the Federal government has no ground for paying only half salaries,” NANS added.

As the leadership of all Nigerian students in the entire South-West, we demand that our intellectuals and the moulders of our collective future be accorded their deserved respect and their dignity not be tampered on.”In addition, procedure to pay the remaining balance of their remunerations should be put in motion immediately,” the students concluded.

Buhari listed 437 names of notable individuals to be honoured on October 11, of which Adamu was among.

Reacting in a statement by its National Public Relations Officer, Giwa Temitope, on Monday, NANS said it was an insult to the collective intelligence of Nigerian students who had been locked out of schools for close to eight months due to the ongoing strike action of the Academic Staff Union of Universities which Adamu had failed to resolve.

“It constitutes an insult to the collective intelligence of Nigerian students both home and in the diaspora that the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, under whose nose university students have been home for close to eight months is to be awarded the National Honours of Commander of the Order of Niger. “This act of the Buhari’s administration is a clear pointer to the fact that Nigerian students have been taken for a ride. And, we see this as the final straw that breaks the back of the camel of Buhari’s much touted integrity.

Over the years, successive administrations in the country have shown to the Nigerian people that the National Honours is more of recognition of patronage than recognition of excellence. But Buhari has taken a step further to show the mass of Nigerian students that we are not on the priority list of the administration.

“It is so unfortunate that a country which offered so much in hope and possibilities at independence has today become a land of suffering, insecurity and near hopelessness signposted by youth unemployment and underfunded educational sector,” the statement partly read.

NANS said that, in a functioning country, both the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, who “shamefully walked out” of a meeting with the national leadership of ASUU at the instance of the House of Representatives, and his Education counterpart would have been fired before now. “But, the reverse is the case as Adamu under whose watch the educational sector of the country has totally collapsed is to be recognised with a National Honour for a job ‘well-done’, it added.

“As an association, we reiterate that we pass a vote of no confidence in both Adamu and Ngige. And, we maintain that we shall be back to the streets in protest against the recklessness of this administration until the Federal Government settles every issue with ASUU for Nigerian students to return to classes,” it concluded.

ASUU has been on strike since February 14, 2022.  ASUU, which is the umbrella for university lecturers in Nigeria, is asking for improved welfare conditions for its members, adequate funding for universities, and the replacement of the government-introduced payment platform- Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, with the University Transparency and Accountability Solution. UTAS was designed by ASUU following complaints against the IPPIS over alleged poor standardisation and incompatibility with the university system.

The National Industrial Court of Nigeria on Wednesday ordered the ASUU to call off its ongoing nationwide strike.

ASUU has been on strike since February 14 to press home the demands for improved funding for universities, a review of salaries for lecturers, among other issues.

Several meetings between ASUU and the Federal Government had ended in a deadlock.

But reacting to the ruling in a statement, NANS National Public Relations Officer, Giwa Temitope, said the judgement betrays equity.

The student union spokesperson explained that rather than direct ASUU to return to classroom, the court should have ordered the Federal Government to sort the striking lecturers.

According to the students union, the fact that they had to drag ASUU to court is a signal that this government cannot handle crisis.

The statement read, “Our attention has been drawn to a news of a court judgment mandating the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to call of its 7 month strike. As an association, we feel disturbed to read the news of the judgment because we believe that it betrays equity.

“Ordinarily, the Federal Government is not meant to have dragged ASUU to court. But, the fact that they had to drag ASUU to court is a signal that this government cannot handle crisis. And, we want to state categorically that the court cannot force members of ASUU back to lecture theatres.

“And, as it stands today, with that court judgment, we maintain that the court has not resolved the problem and we reject the judgment in strong terms. The court could have said that the Federal Government should go and pay rather than say that lecturers who are on strike should go back to classrooms. We were expecting the court to have understood that lecturers are on contract of personal service hence, they cannot be compelled to render a service they don’t want to render. The only remedy to this strike action is for the Federal Government to accede to the demands of ASUU which the government willingly entered into with them and properly fund education.”

The students union rolled out a new timetable for its nationwide protests.

In the timetable, signed by the ‘President-Elect’ of the student body, Usman Barambu, dated Monday, NANS scheduled the protests to hold zone by zone, from its Zone A to Zone F, with Abuja being the location for a final protest.

The protests, which have already begun in September, will run till October 11, 2022, after which Barambu will lead the “Abuja shutdown.”

NANS is protesting the prolonged strike action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities.

But addressing a press conference on Wednesday, the Chairman, NANS National Taskforce on #EndASUUStrikeNow, Ojo Olumide, reiterated the students’ commitment to sustained protest until the government resolves with ASUU.

According to him, NANS will continue to ground all the nation’s public assets from roads to airports if the federal government fails to resolve with the leadership of ASUU in no distant time.

He said, “For those misconstruing our struggle, we call on them to see reason with Nigerian Students and join us in the struggle to save public education in the country.The leadership of NANS demands a better deal for the education of the Nigerian masses because most of the children of the privileged few now study either overseas or in Private Universities established with our common wealth across the country by the same set of people we entrusted to govern us. This is more reason they will continue to turn deaf ears to the demand by ASUU for improved standards and conditions of learning in our public higher institutions.Our blocking of access to public roads and ports is just a warning. If the government fails to conclude all the negotiations and agreement with ASUU within the frame of two weeks, they will witness more protests and rallies all over the country, they will also witness the annoyance, anger, and frustration of Nigerians Students who have been at home for the past Seven months. As we promise them that we will not allow any political campaign to hold across the country until we are back to class. This government has pushed so many Nigerians Students into depression. We say enough is enough; we can no longer bear the brunt of this avoidable crisis in our nation’s public ivory towers again.”

The action was in continuation of their protests against the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities.

The blockage of the access roads left air passengers stranded, forcing airlines to reschedule most of their flights.

The students, however, said that they will be taking their protest to Apapa Ports on Tuesday (today).

The association’s South West Coordinator, Adegboye Olatunji, disclosed this in an interview with one of our correspondents on Monday.

We will be moving to Apapa seaports on Tuesday if the Federal Government refuses to do the needful. Students are tired of staying at home,” Olatunji said.