OPEN MESSAGE TO PRESIDENT TINUBU

OPEN MESSAGE TO PRESIDENT TINUBU

Tinubu Student Loan policy; An idea of putting the Bulls  before the horns

While so many Nigerians are praising the Student loan policy that President Tinubu is introducing to the Nigerian educational system whereby students can take a loan after gaining admission to attend institutions of higher learning and then repay in 2yrs after graduation? I am concerned it is doing the last thing first and a rushed policy to please angry Youths to buy their conscience without thinking it through.

My caution and reservations are that this step is not the first step to take in the educational sector of our Nation which has so many twists and turns and so many failures around it.

The system is setting itself up for failure 

In as much as we are building a home on no foundation.

During my Presidential campaign tour to some of our nation's universities. I realized that many of the colleges, Polytechnic and universities we have in Nigeria are comparable to elementary schools of the developed Worlds in terms of structures, infrastructures;

Most of our schools don't have adequate or standard classrooms, and most do not have any science labs, in the era of technology I am not sure if any of our schools can boast of modern technologies like laptops, digital blackboards for teaching, science labs, computer centers to mention a few, not to talk of stable electricity on campuses, comfortable classrooms, books in the libraries among many factors militating against our educational system especially most of the govt schools that have been relegated to worst with the advent of private schools in Nigeria.

Many Nigerian universities' science students are learning many things from books as some of the technological equipment is nowhere to be found in many of our Govt institutions not to also mention the Jamb examination which has not been the best way of admitting students into schools all across the country, so to start overhauling the educational system by starting with student loans is an exercise in futility as this may not yield the needed results to help the lives of Youths in our Nation.

The lecturers' unions across some of these institutions also have their issues that are yet to be taken care of by Govt as I am aware that many demands of ASUU are still there begging for resolutions so these teachers can shut down the system anytime when they feel their need is not been attended to not to finally talk of where would govt raise the money he will use to pay for these loans we talking about.

 Or are we Borrowing again to pay for student loans?

Having highlighted all these Grey areas, Had expected the govt who wants to copy the educational system of the Western developed world to start by making education free and compulsory from elementary to secondary school first and free to all Nigerians because what are the statistics of Nigerians able to send their kids to school from elementary to secondary school today? The statistics are very low, so many of our Children are roaming the streets and are uneducated. Many don't even make it to secondary school much less colleges, if we must revive the educational system in our Nation we must start by making education affordable, free, and compulsory for all children born in Nigeria from 4yrs old to secondary school which will, in turn, help the parents to focus on other needs like accommodation and feeding of the family and even safe some money ahead of their colleges.

Secondly, we would have to set up an educational reform board to see how govt can upgrade most of our schools, and equip them to be able to meet up with modern international standards  so that we start producing graduates who can contribute to growing and creating a New Nigeria and A new economy.

After we have made education compulsory and free from kindergarten up to secondary school and after we have upgraded most of our higher institutions up to modern and international standards then bringing students loans would have been a great idea to institutions where we will now build the new tomorrow of Young Nigerians who would have the tools and environment to learn and take something to the World to contribute to our economy and country at large .infact if we create an enabling environment we can start having institutions of higher learning in Nigeria producing Nigerian locally made kinds of stuff but to start with students loan is to build something on nothing and eventually a failed policy from the beginning and a policy rushed through just to please the Youths of Nigeria not just to bring about educational advancement in our Nation.

I will appeal to the govt of President Tinubu to look through my submission and retrace his steps to embark on a complete overhaul of the educational system in Nigeria not just this fire brigade approach to solving part of it.

May God Bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria 

Signed:

Faduri Oluwadare Joseph 

Former Presidential Aspirant Labour Party Leader 

Rescue Movement for New Nigeria