From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) said on Friday that it might open its doors and windows to students in vocational skills centres to participate in the student loan scheme.
It said the idea is to support vocational training through loans, helping individuals access technical education at various skill centres, including fashion design and other trades.
A statement from NELFUND indicated that the Executive Director, Operations, at NELFUND, Mr. Iyal Mustapha, stated this during a sensitisation campaign in Enugu on Friday.
The sensitisation tour included visits by the NELFUND management to the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu College of Education, Technical, Enugu, and the MSME Clinics Fashion and Garment Hub in Enugu
Mr. Mustapha said that Enugu might be one of the first states where the initiative will begin, adding that the plan includes training costs, providing upkeep support, and supplying tools after training.
He said the exact amount for upkeep is still being finalised, and institutional charges related to transport will be part of the loan.
On the assessment of the MSME Clinics Fashion and Garment Hub in Enugu, Mr. Mustapha said, “What I see, there’s a lot of positivity with what we see. It’s very positive for us at NELFUND, and Enugu will be one of our first states, one of the first states we’re going to start. I will not say that Enugu will be the only state, but one of the first states to start with. So, one of our mandates is to support vocational skills.
“When it’s time, we would open our portal for people at the vocational skills centres to apply. And we are going to have these centres in a strategic place for easy access and participation.
“So, the support is we are going to pay for their training costs, and we are going to be giving them upkeep at the end of the day. And they will have some working tools when they finish their training.
“So, the upkeep for the vocational skills, we are still trying to complete that into our guideline. I will not say this is how much per se, but for the training costs, it’s based on what the centre is proposing. That’s what we are paying. But the institutional charges are going to be part of the loan. Why? Because it’s to support them with the transport coming to this skill centre.
“Presently, we have other states, I think almost more than 10 states that we have seen such. But then Enugu is one of the best. Let me just put it that way. And, you know, it’s a work in progress, and the country is always evolving. And the government is seeing the value in skills and vocational just to support the community,” he added.
Arinze Chilo-Offiah, the Special Adviser to the Governor of Enugu state on Digital Economy and SME Development, and Director General, Enugu SME Centre, said the state is ready to absorb all the support from NELFUND
He was hopeful that NELFUND would provide the centre with zero-interest loans for training in fashion, noting that the hub has about 150 industrial sewing machines and world-class monogramming machines “We can accommodate over 300 persons at any given time. This is just the fashion hub.”
Mrs. Patricia Nwanneka, Acting Registrar of IMT, said that by educating students more on the procedures and benefits, more students
would turn up to apply for the loan.
“My perception is that I like it. The loan is good. At least now that they have gotten more knowledge. And even after you people have left, we will go on to educate more of them, inculcating them into applying for the loan,” she said.