By Qosim Suleiman

ASUU condemned the introduction of a student loan bill passed by the National Assembly, saying it is a dangerous initiative that has failed in other climes.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has accused the Nigerian government of attempts to 'systematically' wash its hands off the funding of public universities with the introduction of a student loan bill by the National Assembly.

Both chambers of the National Assembly have passed a student loan bill that was first introduced to the house by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, in 2016.

If assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari, the government would be mandated to establish an education bank which the bill proposes would provide education loans to students.

But ASUU, in a statement by its President, Emmanuel Osodeke, a Professor of Soil Science, condemned the move, describing it as an attempt to make university education beyond the reach of poor Nigerians.

In the statement released after its quarterly National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at the University of Calabar at the weekend, ASUU claimed the education loan being proposed has failed in other countries where it was introduced.

"We find it troubling that the proponents of the policy are so eager to foist it down the throat of Nigerians when they have done more to push the working people of this country into poverty through sheer incompetence in handling the economic fortunes of our nation," the statement reads in part.

On salary

The union rejected what it described as the government's "arrogant insistence on handing down an award" instead of a bargained salary package for its members. It also accused the government of attempts to turn the relationship with the workers inito a master-slave situation.

The union also condemned the government's continued withholding of the academics' salaries for seven and a half months, saying it would not accept the alleged casualisation of its members' work through the payment of October salaries on a pro-rata basis.

"The union calls the attention of Nigerians to the lingering issue of renegotiation of the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement which was the initial issue that led to the just suspended strike action. More worrisome is the increasing anti-labour posture of the government, suggestive of attempts to abrogate the principle of collective bargaining agreement. NEC rejects in totality the government's arrogant insistence on handing down an award instead of a bargained salary package," the statement added.

ASUU, therefore, called on Nigerians to prevail on the government to urgently address all outstanding issues between it and the union in the interest of the students and the country.

"Finally, NEC appreciates the resilience of our members and their families. Their understanding and perseverance, in the face of hardship and provocation occasioned by government's intransigence and insensitivity, shall be rewarded by posterity."

Backstory

The industrial dispute between ASUU and the Nigerian government, which has resulted in incessant strikes that characterised the country's university system has ushered in conversations about the funding of the universities.

Government officials have on different occasions stated that the government cannot continue to fund the universities alone but ASUU has rejected this.

At a recent event, the registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, Is-haq Oloyede, suggested a model similar to the National Health Insurance Scheme where the government can help indigent individuals pay a certain percentage of the school fees after they must have subscribed to the initiative.

saintopus:
Person take loan to be paid back by the person, é dey vex ASUU.
Wetin con concern loan wey I take with ASUU qwanuuu!!!

Raheeqilmaktoom:
Are you clowns genuinely advocating for student loans? Even for going as far calling ASUU names? Nigerians really deserve what they get.

Student loan, take the American model, what's the end and ben for of it?

Poor guy takes a loan of 1.5m to study public admin, come out into what? POS vending business to pay back a loan on a useless degree?

Blue3k:
These ASUU guys protest too much. Only the status quo is unacceptable to them. How dare parents and students take up the bulk of their education cost when the tax payer is there right? I wonder why an economist isn't speaking for ASUU in these matters. They never bothered to explain how student loans would make it harder for poor students to go to school. They also never explained why and who in the government advocated for a stop to subsidized education.

Student loans would make it easier for more people to go to school. The issue is schools may begin to charge more knowing the government will increase the loan amounts to compensate. This is what happens in America because these loans aren't dischargeable via bankruptcy. I'm honestly amazed they believe demand for universities will shrink after more loans are factored into the equation.

Raheeqilmaktoom:
Are you clowns genuinely advocating for student loans? Even for going as far ASUU names? Nigerians really deserve what they get.

Student loan, take the American model, what's the end and ben for of it?

Poor guy takes a loan of 1.5m to study public admin, come out into what? POS vending business to pay back a loan on a useless degree?

It's a pity Nigerian students are only interested in tiktok and Instagram. This is really sad.

The fact that a front runner in the election is calling it innovative model is even sadder.

Raheeqilmaktoom:


Seriously? People struggling to pay 80,000 tuition would gladly take loans of 1.5m to attend University?

It's not compulsory to defend every perversion pls.

Blue3k:


Lol if you're taking those sorts of loans it shows you're desperate and economically illiterate. Nobody is forced into a college classroom. trades, tech jobs, and the military are options. Community College and transfer is also an option. A normal person would make sure their prospective careers would be able to pay for the loan.

Now let's get into the real issues of government-backed student loans. For starters it creates incentives for schools to constantly push prices up, they crowd out the private sector and they have a knack for encouraging dumb behavior. The last part in the sense.



Student loans are paid after the student graduates or leaves school. Assuming they work and go to school they can pay down loan early. It's not compulsory to complain without thinking. Remember having access to money means you go to school. Your ability to pay off the loans depends on your career and labor market.

Raheeqilmaktoom:


Have you factrored in today's Nigeria? Or did you just googled student loan?

How many first class engineers are roaming the streets?

In other words and as said by ASUU, a way of stopping poor people from attending University.

If you(your candidate) has no idea how to improve an economy and open it up to jobs, he should Park. You don't improve the economy the economy by 'pegging' who and who attend universities and studies what.

Old man thinking we can't create jobs, let's reduce the number of job seekers, who does that, Jagaban.

Blue3k:


Why did ignore the first response just to ask me rhetorical questions? If you're not economically illiterate you wouldn't take a loan for a career there's no demand for. That's foolish, to begin with. I also mentioned there's alternatives to a college education but you decided to go blind. Lol, we see the issue isn't about the loans for you it's about Tinubu. You assume I like him because I don't think loans are the devil.

Anyway improving the economy and providing loans are two different issues. His other economic policies will determine how vibrant the labor market is. If it's anything like Buhari's more increases unemployment and stagnant economic growth is the future.

saintopus:
Person take loan to be paid back by the person, é dey vex ASUU.
Wetin con concern loan wey I take with ASUU qwanuuu!!!

Raheeqilmaktoom:
Are you clowns genuinely advocating for student loans? Even for going as far calling ASUU names? Nigerians really deserve what they get.

Student loan, take the American model, what's the end and ben for of it?

Poor guy takes a loan of 1.5m to study public admin, come out into what? POS vending business to pay back a loan on a useless degree?

Coming out from University age 22, you starting life with an additional baggage of 1.5m you don't know how to offset. You spend the next number of years working (if you are opportuned to find work that is) just to repay the loan.

It's a pity Nigerian students are only interested in tiktok and Instagram. This is really sad.

The fact that a front runner in the election is calling it innovative model is even sadder.

Nigerian students, shine your eyes, no let people who have no stake in this country use you for experiment.

Softmirror:


WILL THE LOAN BE MANDATORY?

The union rejected what it described as the government's "arrogant insistence on handing down an award" instead of a bargained salary package for its members. It also accused the government of attempts to turn the relationship with the workers inito a master-slave situation.

The union also condemned the government's continued withholding of the academics' salaries for seven and a half months, saying it would not accept the alleged casualisation of its members' work through the payment of October salaries on a pro-rata basis.

Raheeqilmaktoom:


Will people struggling to pay the present about 80,000 tuition be able to pay a tuition of 700k or more per annum?

How do they come? Either drop out from Unis or take the loan.

Softmirror:


THE QUESTION IS, IS IT GOING TO BE MANDATORY?

MY REASON FOR ASKING THE QUESTION IS THE FACT THAT EVEN THE U.S.A WHICH SUCH IS PRACTICED, AS WELL AS SO MANY DEVELOPED COUNTRIES, ALOT LOT OF THEIR FIRMS AND COMPANIES HARDLY DEMAND FOR YOUR UNIVERSITY CERTIFICATE BEFORE GIVING YOU A HIGH PROFILING JOB. WHY IS UNIVERSITY EDUCATION SUCH A BIG DEAL IN UNDERDEVELOPED COUNTRIES?

Raheeqilmaktoom:


University degree opens the vistas for you in today's Nigeria and for the foreseeable future. What's the informal sector like in Nigeria? Y'all talking about how it is in America, think about Nigeria first.

If you deny people the opportunity to attend universities, what do you want them to do? Become roadside mechanics and vendors?

Raheeqilmaktoom:


What careers should be in demand in Nigeria (not global trend), get the number of jobless 1st class and 2:1 graduates from those fields before we talk about the next thing.

Student loans in Nigeria is a literal way of telling people to stop aspiring to pursue what's out their league, just like ASUU said.

How do you improve the economy? More fake sectors (paper sectors) should be created at the expense of the real economy.

Tell me, how's the American system coming along.

how does the government recoup when this graduate japa’s?

A lot more information is needed to properly access this policy. But I do believe it is an initial step in the right direction. Government can’t continue to subsidize education - cause they are doing a terrible job at it. Make each university more autonomous. Allow them charge a bit higher, hire better lecturers and allow each school s’ governing council determine its salary band, build better facilities for students and lecturers, expand the no of students they can take in, etc.

Blue3k:


Source: https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/569219-student-loan-bill-attempt-to-abandon-public-funding-of-nigerian-universities-ASUU.html

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