ASUU Rejects Federal Government's Student Loan Scheme, Advocates for Grants
Maig-oro raised concerns about the financial burden students would face with loans and emphasized the potential negative impact on their academic performance. He questioned the feasibility of repaying loans, particularly for those who might struggle financially.
AKACHI NOEL 
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Bauchi Zone, has voiced its opposition to the federal government's student loan scheme, asserting that non-refundable grants should be provided to Nigerian students instead. Lazarus Maig-oro, the ASUU Bauchi Zonal Coordinator, made this announcement during a scholarship-for-indigent-student program at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi.
Maig-oro raised concerns about the financial burden students would face with loans and emphasized the potential negative impact on their academic performance. He questioned the feasibility of repaying loans, particularly for those who might struggle financially.
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Expressing the psychological toll on students, Maig-oro stated, "The fact that they will graduate with a loan of N4 million and above without the capacity to pay back will be another psychological torture for students." He further highlighted that stringent conditions attached to the loan could result in some students dropping out of school.
ASUU Bauchi Zone is actively gathering statistics on students who may face challenges continuing their education due to increased school fees or charges. The union aims to present this data to the government to advocate for a reconsideration of the loan scheme in favor of grants.
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Maig-oro asserted that ASUU Bauchi Zone is committed to addressing the harsh economic realities affecting students and expressed disappointment that the government has seemingly abandoned its constitutional responsibility of funding universities.
In a positive move, ASUU Bauchi Zone awarded scholarships to 19 indigent students for the year 2023, supplementing the efforts of the national ASUU, which had already granted scholarships to 12 students in the six universities within the Bauchi Zone.
