Comrade Sunday Dayo Asefon, the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on student engagement, highlighted a concerning issue on Thursday, stating that many Nigerian students are unaware of the federal government’s social investment schemes.
During unveiling the Nigerian Students flag and the 15-point Renewed Hope Students agenda in Abuja, Asefon expressed that numerous deserving students eligible for these schemes and scholarships remain uninformed about the application process and availability of forms.
Asefon outlined various agendas, including the enforcement of the Nigerian Student Leaders’ Regional Dialogue, the Annual All Nigerian Tertiary Institution Students Affairs Conference, the Foreign and local digital skill scholarship scheme, the Academic excellence reward scheme, and the National students competition and readership campaign, among others.
The Senior Adviser to the President assured that the hurdles associated with the student loan scheme had been eliminated, with disbursements set to commence this month. Asefon emphasized, “The loan will reach indigent students, and my office will ensure that it is accessible to students, avoiding any hijacking by a select few.”
Acknowledging campus challenges, Asefon expressed confidence that the loan would assist students in pursuing education without financial constraints. He addressed the prevalent scepticism among Nigerian students, assuring that Tinubu’s commitment aims to revitalize education, ensuring an uninterrupted academic calendar and timely completion of four-year courses without additional years.
In light of these initiatives, Asefon urged students to regain hope in education, emphasizing Tinubu’s dedication to reshaping the educational landscape in recent months.