Kayode Olawuni
A human rights activist and National Coordinator, Education Rights Campaign(ERC), a Civil Society Group, Hassan Taiwo Soweto has narrated how he spent 10 years at Obafemi Awolowo university, Ile-Ife studying a four years course.
The activist disclosed this on Monday while speaking at a Symposium to mark the 24th remembrance of five students of the institution who were murdered on July 10, 1999 cult attack on the University campus by suspected members of Blax Axe Confraternity.
Soweto said he was suspended from the institution on three separate occasions which accumulated to six years for the active roles he played fighting for students rights.
He urged the newly elected LoRdFeM led Students Union leadership to remain vibrant in their struggle for better learning conditions for students and upholding their education rights even in the face of adversities.
He added that the likes of himself, Afrika and others paid the price for the relative peace and privileges students are enjoying today on campus.
On the the newly introduced Students Loan by the Federal Government, Soweto kicked against the programme, alleging an hidden agenda in the scheme.
According to him, the Federal Government is merely being insincere with the idea as to the true intention for the loan offer.
He noted that the move is nothing but a signal to the commercialisation of education, adding that Nigerian students should expect an unprecedented and inflated tuition fees across their institutions.
He stressed that the students loan act failed to cover extensively some important like students dropping out or being expelled, death, unemployment rate among others which, he said, further exposes its illusion.
Nigerian President, Bola Tinubu had early June this year, signed into law a bill titled “Students Loans (Access to Higher Education) Act, 2023”, which establishes a Students Loan Fund (SLF) to provide interest-free loans to Nigerians seeking higher education.
The bill ponsored by the immediate past Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, was introduced in 2016 as part of measures towards addressing the funding gaps in the country’s tertiary education subsector.
The announcement of the loan has however sparked mixed reactions from nigerians and educational stakeholders. Some have expressed concern over the sustainability of the programme considering, in particular, the high rate of unemployment in the country.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives at plenary on July 6 in Abuja, warned public tertiary institutions in the country not to take advantage of the Student Loan Policy of the Federal Government to increase tuition fees.
The House equally resolved to convene a Legislative Summit on student loans and access to higher education with all stakeholders in the education sector.
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