Delta State University Urges Students to Embrace Federal Loan Scheme Amid Hostel and Infrastructure Push

(Delta State University (DELSU). Photo by The Nation)

Calls for students to utilize the federal government’s student loan program have increased at Delta State University (DELSU) in Abraka.

Additionally, it implemented significant initiatives to address infrastructure deficiencies and the lack of hostel accommodations.

Speaking at a news conference prior to the university’s 18th convocation on Tuesday, Vice-Chancellor Professor Samuel Asagba voiced worry about the poor uptake of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) among students in the area.

“You advise our students to take advantage of this chance, but many refuse to do so because they are struggling to pay their tuition. Since the government won’t take it back until you start working, I consider this to be free,” he stated.

He revealed that by enabling loan applicants “to register their courses, we did not prevent them from writing exams,” the institution has already adopted a student-friendly approach to guarantee recipients are not academically disadvantaged. We aim to be student-friendly, therefore they all wrote tests,” he continued.

“We appeal to members of the press, please, educate Deltans, we are lagging behind… Embrace it, it is not fake, it is real,” he said, urging increased awareness and involvement.

The Vice-Chancellor revealed ongoing collaborations and financing measures as part of a multifaceted plan to alleviate the ongoing housing demand on students at the school hostels.

“The Central Bank of Nigeria is currently working with students on a N1.2 billion effort to build 1,000-capacity hostels. We’re hoping the deal goes through. That continues.

“The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) is being brought back to campus to finish their abandoned dormitories… That will be an additional hostel with 1,000 seats, he revealed.

With “a special purpose intervention from TETFund of N4 billion with the Faculty of Engineering for workshops and laboratories… another N2.4 billion, I am dedicating that to medical sciences,” the VC went on to say that the institution is also giving academic and research development first priority.

“This is the age you get the sportsmen that could represent the nation and the states,” the Vice-Chancellor emphasized, identifying sports infrastructure as a critical need of the varsity despite recent achievements, such as ranking as the top state university in Nigeria and placing fourth at the recent Nigerian University Games.

He stated that the university intends to “launch a welfare fund to get support from alumni, philanthropists, partners, and friends of the university” in order to address the issue.

The Vice-Chancellor called for continued support while reiterating the institution’s direction and highlighting advancements in ICT, academic growth, staff welfare, and foreign relationships.