Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the vice chancellor of Bells University of Technology, Prof. Jeremiah Ojediran, have called on the federal government to include students from private universities in the proposed students’ loan programme.
The duo spoke yesterday at the commissioning of the Asiwaju Onafowokan, Coleman Wires and Cables Building at Bells University’s College of Postgraduate Studies in Ota, Ogun State.
Obasanjo who expressed his support for the vice chancellor’s plea, urged the government to heed his concerns regarding the exclusion of private university students from the student loan programme.
He however expressed the feeling that the implementation may be hindered by corrupt practices and urged the government to ensure the programme succeeds.
Ojediran, in his address, praised the efforts of private universities in Nigeria and emphasised the importance of including them in government’s initiatives.
He criticised the exclusion of private universities from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and the recent decision to exclude private university students from the student’s loan scheme.
He argued that the decisions were out of touch with the current realities of the society and the expectations of the people.
The vice chancellor highlighted the struggles faced by parents in keeping their children enrolled in schools, whether public or private, due to the economic downturn.
He commended private universities, including BellsTech, for implementing measures to ease the financial burden on parents and stressed the importance of private universities in contributing to national manpower development and the overall economy.
Ojediran called for the recognition of private universities as partners in progress with the government, as their graduates play a significant role in driving the country’s economy forward.
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