Education Minister Suddenly Cancels Emergency Meeting with Vice Chancellors Over Student Loan Fraud
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has abruptly canceled an emergency meeting scheduled with vice chancellors (VCs) of federal universities.
The meeting was expected to address the mounting concerns over the federal government’s student loan scheme and the recent spike in tuition fees across public institutions.
Sources within the Ministry of Education confirmed that the meeting, which was initially slated for this week in Abuja, was called off without an official explanation.
The development has sparked fresh concerns about the government’s commitment to resolving key issues threatening the successful implementation of the student loan initiative.
The cancellation comes amid growing backlash from the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), which has accused several vice chancellors of deliberately sabotaging the student loan program.
According to NANS, tuition hikes in universities such as the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), and the University of Ibadan (UI) undermine the essence of the loan scheme, which aims to provide financial relief to indigent students.
“We urge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to sack any university administrator found frustrating the student loan initiative through unjustified fee hikes,” NANS said in a statement released over the weekend.
The student loan scheme, which was signed into law by President Tinubu, is designed to offer interest-free loans to students who cannot afford higher education.
However, its rollout has been slow, with federal officials citing the need to finalize structures and processes before disbursement begins.
Earlier, Dr. Alausa had expressed concern over the proliferation of universities in the country. He urged the National Assembly to halt the creation of new institutions and instead focus on strengthening existing ones.
Additionally, he has announced plans to reform Nigeria’s education system by introducing an 80% practical and 20% theoretical learning model, aimed at tackling graduate unemployment.
The abrupt cancellation of the emergency meeting is being viewed by many as a setback to efforts aimed at bridging the gap between students, university administrators, and the federal government.
Education stakeholders are now calling for renewed dialogue and transparency to ensure the student loan program succeeds and higher education becomes more accessible and affordable for all Nigerians.
