Bola Tinubu has assured students of tertiary institutions in the country that they will not have to drop out of school because of their inability to pay tuition fees under his administration.
He gave this assurance on Saturday at the 33rd convocation ceremony of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) in Ondo State, where he was the visitor and represented by Professor King-David Terna Yawe of the National University Commission (NUC).
Tinubu said he was aware of the challenges facing higher education in the country and was working hard to address them.
He revealed one of his first actions was to sign the student loan bill into law, which would enable indigent students to access interest-free loans that they would repay at their convenience when they are employed.
He said, “My government would not shirk its responsibilities in this regard. We will ensure that educational institutions get their dues to perform their statutory duties optimally. To put this in motion, one of my first actions as president of Nigeria after my inauguration was the signing of the student loan bill into law.
This act will enable indigent students in all our tertiary institutions to have access to interest-free loans, which they will pay back at their convenience in the future when they are gainfully employed. Under my watch, and as I have said in my manifesto, no student will drop out of school as a result of inability to pay school charges.”
The vice chancellor of FUTA, Prof Adenike Temidayo Oladiji, in her earlier remarks, appreciated Tinubu for investing in the education sector of the country.
Bola Tinubu’s assurance came at a time when some universities in the country had increased their tuition fees, citing inflation and economic hardship as reasons. Some students and parents had expressed their displeasure over the hike, saying it would affect their access to quality education.