An Anglican Bishop in Lagos State, Rt. Rev. Babatunde Joseph Adeyemi, has advocated that disbursements of the student loan under the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) should be made directly to beneficiaries.
Rt. Rev. Adeyemi, who is the Bishop of the Diocese of Badagry, Anglican Communion, said direct disbursement would ensure transparency and accountability of the student loan scheme.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Adeyemi spoke on Sunday during the third session of the 7th Synod of the Anglican Diocese of Badagry at the Cathedral Church of St. Thomas, Badagry. The synod took place under the theme “Pass It On: The Imperative of Sharing The Praiseworthy Deeds, Power and Wonders of the Lord With The Next Generation”.
“I don’t think disbursements should go through the schools; rather, they should go through the students who are collecting the loans,” Adeyemi said.
“This will also enable the government to know who will be responsible for the repayment in the years to come,” he said.
The Bishop also advised that parents of beneficiaries should be involved in the process.
He, however, lauded the initiative, saying it had alleviated the financial burdens many students and their families faced.
President Bola Tinubu signed the Student Loans (Access to Higher Education) (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill 2024 into law on April 3, 2024. The law seeks to guarantee sustainable higher education and functional skill development for all Nigerian students and youths.
