ASUU Rejects Students’ Loans, Demands Grants

The Bauchi zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has restated its opposition to students’ loans, and called for grants to enable students to fund their education.

This was revealed on Saturday by the Bauchi zonal coordinator of ASUU, Associate Professor Lazarus Maigoro.

Maigoro said that the Bauchi zone of ASUU was working on getting the statistics of students who may likely drop out of school at the end of the current session, due to the inability to afford the loans.

He said that the aim was to make the government review its decision on the issue of the loans and replace them with grants.

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 performances negatively.

“The thought that they would graduate with a loan of N4million and above without the capacity to pay back is another psychological torture on them.”

He also expressed his concern about the quality of education and the welfare of the lecturers, who he said were not adequately remunerated and motivated.

He urged the government to implement the agreements it had reached with ASUU, and to respect the autonomy of the universities.

Earlier in his welcome remarks, the ATBU branch chairperson, Comrade Ibrahim Inuwa, pledged that ASUU would continue to act as a socially responsible union by fighting for the collective interest of quality tertiary education.

He said that ASUU was not against the development of the country, but rather wanted a fair and equitable system that would benefit all.