The managing director of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, Akintunde Sawyerr, has taken sensitisation on the students’ loan to Ekiti, with a charge to parents to encourage their children to take advantage of the opportunity to acquire education.

A statement on Friday by NLEFUND disclosed this. 

Mr Sawyerr said that President Bola Tinubu was keen on taking the burden of funding tertiary education away from parents. He described the students’ loan scheme as an “opportunity for Nigerian students to further their education to the tertiary level”.

The NELFund CEO, who spoke at the Palace of the Oore of Otun Ekiti and the Paramount Ruler of Moba Land, Oba Adekunle Adeagbo, urged parents to encourage their children in public tertiary institutions to participate in the federal government’s student loan scheme.

“Nigerians are yearning for knowledge; they want to know, they want to learn. We are a very curious people. We want to know so much, and the student loan policy has given people access and the opportunity to further their education to the tertiary level.

“The impact has been huge. In the last 24 hours, we have had 12,000 applications for the student loan. You can imagine, the impact has been huge. Since May 2024, we have had a little less than 700,000 beneficiaries and over a million applications. It is unprecedented.

“It shows you the pent-up demand there has been and the political acumen of President Bola Tinubu to be able to see that this is what the country needs. If this country gets itself educated and on its feet, nobody will be able to threaten Nigeria. We are the greatest country in the world,” Mr Sawyerr said.

The NELFund boss, who lauded Oba Adeagbo for his interest in the advancement of his people, said, “This visit came about because of the proactive action of the paramount ruler of Moba land.”

According to him, the paramount ruler came to our office and asked us to ensure that none of the people in these 13 kingdoms under his rulership are left behind.

“As soon as I saw that gesture, it was incumbent upon me to ensure that I came here as fast as possible. These are the sorts of opportunities we are looking for, and we have been so well received.

“The paramount ruler is so proactive; he is so action-oriented. Already he has set up structures for us to be able to work very easily. We are delighted. This is what President Tinubu is looking for, this sort of traction across the country,” he said.

Mr Sawyerr said Mr Tinubu had taken the burden of committing a high percentage of household income to the education of children away from parents, noting that they could use that money to start businesses and invest in other things.

(NAN)