The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Bauchi Zone has opposed the recently introduced Student Loan by the federal government, alleging that it will cause psychological trauma on the beneficiaries and will also affect their performance in school negatively.
The ASUU Bauchi Zonal Coordinator, Comrade Lazarus Maigoro who was speaking during a recent Indigent Scholarship Award ceremony at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) in Bauchi, expressed concern over the adverse effects of loans on academic performance and the psychological stress it inflicts on students and urged for a better alternative.
“The question is, who will pay the loan? What is the fate of those who cannot access it? The psychological trauma the students will be subjected to due to the loan while still on studies will affect their performance negatively.
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“The thought that they will graduate with a loan of N4 million and above without the capacity to pay back is another psychological torture on them,” he said.
He, however, advocated for the provision of grants by the federal government to support and ease the financial burden on students and prevent future academic hurdles.
Maigoro stated that on its part, the union is committed to supporting financially challenged students, adding that the union’s scholarship initiative has helped to alleviate these financial burdens and ensure their educational aspirations were realized.