The government’s insufficient funding for federal institutions has drawn harsh criticism from the Academic Staff Union of institutions (ASUU) Bauchi Zone, which links the issue to rising student dropout rates. ASUU vigorously opposed student loans, arguing that government subsidies would be a better way to assist students.
Recently, Comrade Lazarus Maigoro, the ASUU Bauchi Zonal Coordinator, voiced concerns about the negative impact of student loans on academic performance and the psychological stress they cause students during the Indigent Scholarship Award ceremony at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) in Bauchi. He underlined how important it is to offer grants in order to lessen students’ financial burden and avoid further academic obstacles.
Maigoro emphasized ASUU’s dedication to helping students who are struggling financially by recalling cases in which students were unable to pay fees and other costs, which resulted in their dropping out. Through its scholarship program, the union hopes to lessen these financial burdens and guarantee that students’ dreams of a college education come true.
“The question is, who will pay the loan? What is the fate of those who cannot access it? The psychological trauma the students will be subjected to due to the loan while still on studies will affect their performance negatively.The thought that they will graduate with a loan of N4 million and above without the capacity to pay back is another psychological torture on them.
“Furthermore, those who cannot access the loan due to the stringent conditions attached virtually means dropping out of school. Currently, in view of the hike in school fees or charges in public Universities all over the country, many students have not been able to resume.
“ASUU Bauchi Zone is working on getting the statistics of Students who may likely drop out of school at the end of the current session with the hope of making government review its decision on the issue of the loan and replace it with grants.”
“I can authoritatively say without mincing words, that as we teach these students in the classrooms, we notice quite a number who are distressed due to the very harsh economic realities of our country.
“One of the reasons ASUU went on strike in 2022 for eight months was to make government live up to its own responsibilities of funding University education but unfortunately, parents and students did not support the Union to fight this menace collectively and now, students and parents have become victims of what ASUU tried to prevent.
“For this year, 2023, ASUU Bauchi zone is giving 19 indigent students scholarship apart from the 12 already awarded by ASUU National in the 6 Universities that constitutes Bauchi zone,” Comrade Lazarus said.
