The Senator representing Plateau Central of Plateau State, Senator Diket Plang, has commended President Bola Tinubu for signing the Student Loans (Accessment to Higher Education) Act (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill, 2024, into law in a nick of time.
Senator Plang, who is also the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Labour Employment and Productivity and Vice Chairman of the Federal Character, equally lauded the efforts of the National Assembly Assembly for being diligent and patriotic in passing the bill, said students of tertiary institutions in Nigeria will heaf a sigh of relief in their quest for tertiary education.
The senator, in a statement, described the bill as a progressive bill for Nigerians and Nigeria, adding that it will ensure talented Nigerian students are not left behind in terms of higher education and training due to a lack of funds.
According to him, the signing of the bill will also revolutionize education, promote access to higher education, and provide crucial financial support to Nigerian students, especially the indigents, adding that it will also dismantle financial barriers that often prevent those from poor homes from accessing tertiary education.
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He added that with the signing of the bill into law, indigent students will be able to access interest-free loans for their academic pursuits in any Nigerian tertiary institution.
“I therefore wish that Nigerians, especially students and parents, will take advantage of this loan. This bill will ensure that we don’t have drop out; it will reduce criminality because sometimes those who drop out of schools resort to criminal acts as a result of frustration.
“It will go a long way toward improving the quality of higher education in Nigeria and stabilizing tertiary institutions. Managers of the bill should ensure that funds appropriated for this purpose are adequately managed,” he advised.
He therefore enjoined Nigerian students to take advantage of the loan to be more committed to their studies.
TheWitness
