… describes it as smokescreen to take education out of the reach of the poor
Daniel Kanu
Rights group, Education Rights Campaign (ERC) has condemned the signing of the students loan (Access to higher education Act 2023) by President Bola Tinubu, describing it as a smokescreen to take higher education out of the reach of the poor.
The group noted further that “” it is a piece of fraudulent legislation that on the one hand claims to open access to higher education through students loan but on the other hand putting up innumerable restrictions and hurdles to ensure that only a fraction of poor and indigent students get the loan.””
ERC at a World press conference in Lagos today, Wednesday 21, said the students loan act “is the work of con-artists whose aim is to hoodwink the mass of Nigerian people including students, the youth, parents and workers into thinking that it expands access to higher education whereas what it does is to shut the door more firmly against the majority of Nigerians seeking higher education”.
Notable Rights Activists, including Comrade Hassan Taiwo (Soweto), Achike Chudde (JAC), Gideon Adeyemi (ERC Spokesperson) were present at the briefing.
In a statement the group made available to the press, signed by Comrades Ogunjimi Isaac, Deputy National Coordinator ERC and Adaramoye Michael Lenin, National Mobilisation Officer, ERC demanded that “” The students loan should be turned into a grant to support the living expenses of students in public tertiary institutions whose cost of living has risen astronomically due to the fuel subsidy removal and other Anti-poor economic measures.
“”Demand reversal of all hiked fees across campuses in Nigeria.
“”Call on government to fund public education adequately, ensure democratic management of allocation and finance of institutions and meet the demands of unions.
“”Call for nationalisation of the commanding heights of Nigeria’s economy under democratic workers control and management in order to secure the resources needed to fund public education and other social services adequately.
“”Call all Nigerian students, parents, civil Society organisations, education workers Unions, Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress to reject the students loan act and the plan to introduce tuition fee”.
Some representatives of ERC from different tertiary institutions including: Babalola Benjamin (University of Ibadan, Coordinator), Toyyib Duroorike (LASU Coordinator) and Adesina Suliat were also present.