The National Association of Nigerian Students, Zone C, has warned tertiary organizations in the North-Central region against postponing the refund of tuition costs to trainees whose school charges had already been paid before the Nigerian Education Loan Fund released payments on their behalf.
The trainees’ body likewise raised issues over what it described as excessive and unjustified charges troubled students by some organizations.
Speaking in Ilorin on Wednesday, the Zonal Planner of NANS Zone C, Abiola Babatunde, said organizations ought to instantly return money owed to students who had at first paid their tuition before NELFUND later settled the same charges.
According to him, numerous beneficiaries of the Federal Government’s trainee loan programme have waited on months to get refunds, despite their institutions getting payments from the Fund.
Babatunde said the continued withholding of such funds contrasted the function of the student loan intervention, which was presented to reduce the financial concern on students.
He said NANS Zone C was demanding the immediate release of all exceptional refunds to afflicted beneficiaries.
The association cautioned institutions against retaining trainees’ cash for administrative functions or unnecessarily lengthening the refund procedure.
According to Babatunde, when NELFUND has paid a student’s tuition, any previous payment made by that trainee needs to be returned without unnecessary hold-up.
The development comes amid growing issues about the execution of the trainee loan plan and the handling of replicate tuition payments by tertiary organizations.
NELFUND had previously warned institutions versus refusing or postponing refunds to students who paid their fees before the Fund subsequently made payments to the schools.
In July, NANS launched a list of 39 tertiary organizations which it declared had actually gotten tuition payments from NELFUND but were yet to refund affected students who had actually formerly settled their school fees.
NELFUND likewise said it was examining about 34 institutions over accusations involving postponed refunds following complaints from recipients. The Fund mentioned that it was working with student agents, internal auditors and appropriate anti-corruption firms in analyzing some of the cases.
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Beyond the NELFUND refund problem, NANS Zone C gotten in touch with organizations across the North-Central area to reassess their charge structures and eliminate charges that unnecessarily increase the financial concern on students.
The association criticised extreme late-payment charges, hidden charges and other levies that it considered unfair to students facing real monetary problems.
Babatunde argued that students who are not able to meet payment due dates because of financial obstacles need to not be subjected to additional inflated charges.
He stated institutions need to also make sure that trainees get value for the cash paid through the arrangement of appropriate facilities and services.
NANS Zone C specifically called for enhanced lecture halls, correctly equipped labs, good hostels, healthcare services, trustworthy water system and electrical power throughout schools.
The association advised authorities in tertiary institutions throughout Kwara, Benue, Niger, Kogi, Plateau and Nasarawa states, along with the Federal Capital Area, to enhance accountability and prioritise student welfare.
On security, the students’ body attracted the Nigeria Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Department of State Services and other appropriate firms to reinforce defense around campuses and neighbouring communities.
NANS Zone C likewise released a two-week due date to institutions within the region that have yet to carry out Students’ Union Government elections.
The association said afflicted organizations should begin and finish their electoral procedures within the stated duration, alerting that failure to do so might cause what it described as genuine and constitutional actions by the student body.