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From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has hailed the Federal Government for bailing out stranded Nigerian scholars abroad with a sum of N3.8bn.
The Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETfund), Sonny Echono had on Thursday last week disclosed the news in Abuja when he received the House of Representatives Committee members on TETFund and other Services, who were on an oversight visit to the Fund.
Echono informed the Committee that no fewer than 1,500 scholars were taken care of with a total of N3.8billion extended.
The TETfund Executive Secretary, however, attributed the delay in the payment due to the wake of forex increase, saying that a lot of scholars from all over the world including the UK, Malaysia and others cried out as it were and the petitions went to National Assembly, Presidential Villa, Federal Ministry of Education and even TETfund.
Reacting to the development on Monday, the National President of NANS, Pedro Obi, in a statement he signed in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, described the response of the FG as commendable and academic-saving for thr affected scholars.
He pointed out that the step has saved the country from international embarrassment and restored the confidence of the Nigerian students in the government of the country.
Obi added that apart from hewing a good international and positive image for the country, the payment will go a long way in saving the the scholars from phycological trauma, hence, they will able to concentrate on their studies abroad.
NANS National President who observed that students loan scheme put in place by the incumbent administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will help many indigent Nigerian students in their quest to acquire education, urged the FG to ensure that only students who are truly in need are captured and benefit from the scheme.
He, however, charged the FG to pay more attention to the education sector from primary to tertiary level by providing adequate facilities capable of enhancing delivery of quality education.
Obi argued that Nigerian youths as leaders of tomorrow need to be given the right education that will equip them not only to surmount socio-economic challenges, but to build a nation where there is economic prosperity, security and political stability.
