Bukola Afeni
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has condemned the actions of some tertiary institutions accused of delaying or refusing to refund students whose tuition fees had already been paid before receiving NELFUND disbursements.
It also raised concerns over arbitrary increases in tuition and other institutional charges.
In a statement signed by Director of Strategic Communication, Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, on Monday in Abuja, the Fund said it had received reports of the practices, stressing that they undermine the objectives of the Federal Government’s Student Loan Scheme.
“The Student Loan Scheme, an initiative of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was established to remove financial barriers to higher education, not to create additional burdens for Nigerian students,” the statement said.
NELFUND said it is engaging the affected institutions and relevant authorities to ensure that eligible students receive due refunds and that institutional charges remain fair, transparent and consistent with the objectives of the scheme.
The Fund reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the interests of students and preserving the integrity of the student loan programme.
