Students of tertiary institutions in the Southeast geopolitical zone have been urged to change their nonchalant attitude to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund(NELFUND) and and start assessing the federal-funded student loans.
The Vice-chancellor of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike(MOUAU), Professor Maduebisi Ofo Iwe made the call Thursday at the pre-convocation press conference as part of activities lined up for 12th Convocation ceremony of the institution.
He said that it made no sense for students to keep lamenting about the rising cost of education instead of applying for NELFUND loans to lessen the financial burden of their education on their parents and guardians.
“It is becoming embarrassing that students from other parts of the country are assessing the NELFUND money but here(in Southeast) we are not showing interest,” he said.
Iwe said that students of Southeast should emulate their counterparts from other zones and take up the opportunity of NELFUND to assist their parents pay their charges in the institutions where they are pursuing their academic programmes.
He noted that NELFUND is a big relief to students and their parents, adding that MOUAU got a mark up of N120,000 last year which was increased N150,000 in 2024.
The MOUAU VC announced that a total of 5208 graduands from 2019/2020 to 2023/2024 would be admitted to the 12th Convocation, which “is a demonstration of our commitment to University culture and calendar”.
He said that bachelor’s degree would be awarded to 4,753 graduands, Postgraduate Diploma, 49, Master’s Degree, 252, and Doctorate Degree 164, adding that 163 graduated with first class.
Iwe, who is the sixth VC of MOUAU stated that the institution has “cumulatively made giant strides in academics, human capital development, infrastructure, community service, and administration in the last three decades”.
However, he pointed out that “we are still confronted with the problems of inadequate physical facilities, low funding, non-release of take-off grant from government, high demand on provision of amenities and public utilities, especially electricity, water, and bad road”.
The MOUAU Chief Executive said that Nigerian federal universities were still paying the price of the 2022 eight months strike by staff unions.
He stated that though FG “has tried to address the issue of withheld salaries, there are still the issues of despondency and lukewarmness in the attitude of staff following the salary injury associated with that experience”.
Notwithstanding “the intriguing situation”, Prof Iwe asserted that MOUAU “has continued to make remarkable headway in various key areas”.
According to him, “we are succeeding in making MOUAU an entrepreneurial University in line with our dream of ensuring that it attains a level of enterprise that would enhance its resiurces”.
He said: “Our bread and biscuit factory, our water production, and our Guest House outfit are steadily growing and having name to our University.
“All our Colleges are also growing. Our College of Animal Science and Animal Production(CASAP) and the College of Crop ans Soil Sciences(CCSS), for instance, are vigorously driving a level of animal and crop production that is consistent with our vision”.
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