According to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), President Bola Tinubu's signing of the Student Loan Bill may cause many students to drop out of school.
This was stated by Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, President of the ASUU, in an interview with reporters on June 14.
The law was signed into law by President Tinubu on Monday, describing it as a fulfillment of one of his campaign promises. The bill aims to provide free education to low-income students, which will be repaid when they graduate and begin working.
However, Osodeke stated that millions of prospective students who rely on tuition-free higher education institutions to acquire knowledge would be affected by the law.
He said;
“A country where more than 133 million are living below the poverty line and you want to introduce tuition fees? It will be counterproductive.“Every Nigerian should know what is going to happen next and there may likely be another bill waiting for signature that will introduce tuition fees.“If the bill indicated that the loan is to pay tuition fees and there are no tuition fees in Nigerian universities, then what is your next approach?”
Osodeke stated that the bill is not new, revealing that the union rejected it when it was brought up by the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
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