The much-anticipated Federal Student Loan Scheme is set to be launched within the next two to three weeks, according to Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.
He gave the confirmation during a meeting with a delegation from the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) led by its President, Lucky Emonefe, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He explained that final preparations were underway to ensure smooth launch and implementation of the policy.
He also called on students to defend and speak up against voices condemning the Student Loan, saying the scheme is to ensure no student, irrespective of their birth circumstances, is deprived of quality education.
He said, “Mr President is determined that we see it through and see it through successfully. It was supposed to be launched in January but it is anything worth doing and it is worth doing well.
“We are hoping it will be launched in the next two to three weeks, we are trying to dot the Is and the Ts before it is launched to ensure we have policies that cannot be faulted.”
He added that the student loan scheme, when successfully launched, will become part of the legacies of the present administration.
Gbajabiamila solicited the support of the Nigerians to ensure that no indigent student, who are genuinely in need of the loan are left behind.
“Now we are going to need you in the success of this policy because, generally, it is a well-received policy but there may be one or two segments of the society for the reason some people in some quarters may be kicking against it, this policy is for the Nigerian students, it is to make sure that no student is left behind when it comes to education.
“It is to make sure people are not deprived of their education just because of circumstances of their birth, that itself is unconstitutional.
“Now that the child of indigent should not be deprived of what should be a right, not to make education a privilege but a right.
“So when voices speak up against it, we expect you to rise for support, this is something that you all support, embrace and work towards its success,” Gbajabiamila added.
The Chief of Staff to the President further assured the students that the government was ready to avert any looming industrial action by the members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
According to him, the government is currently addressing issues that concern the union.
He added that President Tinubu had through several directives declared an end to the strike by the academic unions of universities and higher institutions.
“There may be another looming ASUU strike, and we are trying to address that, we are looking at issues that concern ASUU, the impending strike and I believe we should be able to avert that as you have said earlier, we can always do our best to avert strikes such as this, luckily we have a President who is more than anybody determined that the days of strike are over and left behind. We are hoping to be able to avert the strikes,” he declared.
The Chief of Staff also applauded youth representation on the Federal Executive Council (FEC), saying the government was working on the establishment of a Youth Advisory Council that would advise the President on youth matters and others towards youth development.
“You have among you two comrades standing in for you in the cabinet. We are mulling the idea that has not come to fruition yet, I hope it will come to fruition. We are working assiduously on the Youth Advisory Council that will sit from time to time and advise the President on youth matters and other matters that are important towards youth development, we are hopeful that will come to fruition soon,” Gbajabiamila stated.