ASUU President not excited about student loan, says its discriminatory

As the signing of the student loan bill into law by President Bola Tinubu generates euphoria in some quarters, the President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities is not excited about the development.

Recall that Tinubu on Monday signed the student loan bill “in fulfilment of his promises to liberalise funding of education.”

The bill sponsored by Femi Gbajabiamila, the Speaker of the 9th House of Representatives is interest-free.

While breaking the news to State House Correspondents on Monday, aide to the president, Dele Alake said the student loan law will enable indigent students to access government’s loans to fund the educational pursuit.

“This is a promise made during the presidential campaign by the then candidate, His Excellency Bola Tinubu, that he will bring back the student loans issue onto the front burner.

“And today, that promise he made has been kept. He has just signed that bill into law, which henceforth would allow or enable our indigent students to access Federal Government’s loans to fund the educational pursuit or career,” Alake said.

But Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, the national president of Academic Staff Union of Universities is unimpressed by the law enacted to support indigent students.

In an interview with The Punch, Osodeke described the student loan law as discriminatory, saying ASUU would soon react to the development.

“The union will react soon but everyone knows our position on student loans because you will end up encumbering the children of the poor with loans and debt after graduating. This is discriminatory. If what I read online is correct, it said it is only for children whose parents earn at least N500,000 per annum. That means if your father earns more, you won’t benefit,” he said.