The Honourable Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, hosted the leadership of the National Association Nigerian Students (NANS) on critical issues affecting Nigerian Students.
The meeting focused on issues bothering on Student Loan Board, Campus Security, Uniform ID card System, and the involvement of Students in Educational Governance.
Mamman expressed his appreciation for the maturity and high standards demonstrated by NANs in addressing Student matters.
He emphasised the importance of open communication and understanding in resolving issues, noting that many problems arose from poor communication rather than the issues themselves.
He also highlighted ongoing government efforts to enhance campus Security through the National Safe School Rapid Response Center, which swiftly addresses security threats.
Additionally, Mamman outlined new initiatives under the Ministry’s policy framework, such as the Data repository, Out-of-School, Teachers development and Skill acquisition (DOTS) programme.
He said the initiative aimed at improving employability and skills training for teachers, with comprehensive data collection to track Student progress and School infrastructure across the Country.
The Minister also reiterated the importance of enforcing existing policies, such as insurance coverage for tertiary Students, and promised to address Scholarship issues promptly.
Also, the Minister of State for Education, Dr Yusuf Sununu, acknowledged the NANS leadership’s proactive approach and diplomatic engagement.
“Your approach to issues is commendable and different from other unions I have interacted with. Your diplomatic and engaging manner is highly appreciated,” Sununu stated.
Sununu discussed the challenges faced by Students on bilateral education agreement Scholarships abroad, attributing delays in funding to budget constraints.
He assured the Students that the Ministry is working tirelessly with the Finance Ministry’ to alleviate their suffering and that a proposal to address these issues is in development.
Sununu also emphasised the importance of inclusivity and urged the NANS leadership to embrace contributions from all members to enhance the effectiveness of their administration.
He pledged the Ministry’s support for upcoming Student programmes and stressed the need to combat misinformation, particularly concerning the NELFund, by Educating Students to use official channels to avoid fraud.
Responding, the President of NANS, Comrade Lucky Emonefe expressed gratitude to the Ministers for their support and highlighted several pressing issues including concerns about the slow disbursement of loans from the Student Loan Board.
He called for a streamlined process to ensure timely financial support for Students.
Lucky acknowledged efforts to enhance campus security but advocated for regular security audits.
He proposed the implementation of a standardised ID card system for all Students nationwide to improve tracking, management, and security of Student populations.
He also advocated for the inclusion of Student representatives in the governing councils of Educational institutions and highlighted the plight of Students on Scholarships abroad facing significant hardship due to unpaid tuition fees and allowances.
He urged the Ministry to expedite payments to alleviate their distress.