The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Bauchi State Zone, has rejected the student loan scheme proposed by the federal government, saying it prefers grants to loans for students to fund their education.
The union also announced that it had awarded scholarships to 19 indigent undergraduates from various universities in the zone as part of its social responsibility and commitment to quality tertiary education.
The zonal coordinator of ASUU, Associate Professor Lazarus Maigoro, made these known during the scholarship award ceremony held at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, on Monday.
Maigoro said the union was compiling records of students who were at risk of dropping out of school due to the arbitrary increase in fees by some universities and would use the data to engage the government to review its decision on the loan scheme and replace it with grants.
He argued that the loan scheme would subject the students to psychological stress and affect their academic performance, as they would graduate with huge debts without the capacity to pay them back.
He said, “The question is: who will pay the loan? What is the fate of those who cannot access it? The psychological trauma the students will be subjected to due to the loan while still in their studies will affect their performance negatively.
“The thought that they would graduate with a loan of N4 million and above without the capacity to pay it back is another psychological torture on them.”
He urged the government to invest more in education and provide adequate funding for public universities, rather than imposing loans on students.
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He also called on the government to address the issues of insecurity, poor infrastructure, and the welfare of staff and students in universities.
On the scholarship award, Maigoro said the union had been giving out scholarships to brilliant but indigent students every year as a way of encouraging them to pursue their academic dreams.
He said the beneficiaries were selected from ATBU, Bauchi State University, Gadau, and Federal University, Kashere, based on their academic performance and financial needs.
He congratulated the awardees and advised them to make good use of the opportunity and excel in their studies.
He also thanked the ASUU members for their contributions and sacrifices towards the scholarship fund.
The ATBU branch chairman of ASUU, Ibrahim Inuwa, also spoke at the event and reiterated the union’s resolve to continue to fight for the collective interest of quality tertiary education.
He said the union would not relent in its struggle to ensure that the government fulfils its obligations and agreements with the union.
He commended the zonal coordinator for his leadership and vision and appreciated the efforts of the scholarship committee for the successful selection and award of the scholarships.
He also congratulated the recipients and urged them to be good ambassadors of the union and their respective universities.
The scholarship award, which was attended by ASUU members, university officials, and students, featured the presentation of cheques and certificates to the beneficiaries.