Key points
- The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has warned tertiary institutions against withholding tuition refunds owed to students under the Federal Government’s student loan scheme.
- The Fund said it is engaging affected institutions and relevant authorities to ensure compliance with refund obligations.
- NELFUND also condemned arbitrary increases in tuition and other institutional charges linked to the student loan programme.
- The agency said some institutions have failed to refund students who had already paid their tuition before NELFUND later settled the same fees on their behalf.
- NELFUND reiterated that the student loan initiative is intended to expand access to higher education, not create additional financial burdens for beneficiaries.
Main Story
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has cautioned tertiary institutions across the country against withholding tuition refunds due to students who have benefited from the Federal Government’s student loan scheme.
The Fund said it has received reports that some higher institutions have delayed or refused to refund students who had paid their tuition fees before NELFUND subsequently disbursed the same payments directly to their institutions.
In a statement issued by its Director of Strategic Communications, Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, NELFUND described the practice as unacceptable and inconsistent with the objectives of the government’s education financing initiative.
According to the agency, it is already engaging the affected institutions and relevant authorities to ensure that eligible students receive the refunds due to them without unnecessary delays.
NELFUND also expressed concern over reports of arbitrary increases in tuition fees and other institutional charges, warning that such actions undermine the purpose of the student loan programme.
The Fund stressed that the student loan scheme was established to remove financial barriers preventing qualified Nigerians from accessing tertiary education and should not become an avenue for imposing additional financial obligations on students.
The student loan programme, introduced by the Federal Government, provides interest-free loans for tuition and upkeep to eligible students enrolled in public tertiary institutions.
Under the scheme, tuition fees are paid directly to approved institutions, while maintenance allowances are disbursed to eligible beneficiaries to support their living expenses throughout their academic programmes.
NELFUND reiterated its commitment to ensuring transparency, accountability and fairness in the implementation of the initiative, noting that institutions participating in the programme are expected to comply fully with established operational guidelines.
The Issues
The alleged withholding of tuition refunds raises concerns about compliance with the operational framework governing the Federal Government’s student loan scheme.
Failure by institutions to refund students after receiving tuition payments from NELFUND could result in beneficiaries paying twice for the same academic session, thereby defeating the programme’s objective of easing financial pressure on students and their families.
Similarly, arbitrary increases in tuition and institutional charges could reduce the effectiveness of the scheme and place additional financial strain on students despite government intervention.
Education stakeholders have consistently stressed the need for stronger oversight and greater accountability to ensure that the benefits of the student loan programme reach intended beneficiaries.
What’s Being Said
NELFUND stated:
“We frown on reports of tertiary institutions withholding tuition refunds due to students under the Federal Government’s student loan scheme.”
The Fund added that it is:
“Engaging the affected institutions and relevant authorities to ensure compliance.”
It further noted:
“The student loan scheme was designed to remove financial barriers to higher education and should not become an avenue for placing additional financial burdens on students.”
What’s Next
NELFUND is expected to continue discussions with affected tertiary institutions and regulatory authorities to ensure that outstanding tuition refunds are paid to eligible students.
The Fund may also strengthen monitoring mechanisms to improve compliance with the operational guidelines governing the student loan scheme and prevent future cases of delayed refunds or arbitrary fee increases.
Students affected by delayed refunds are expected to continue engaging their institutions while NELFUND works with relevant stakeholders to resolve outstanding issues.
Bottom Line
NELFUND’s warning underscores its commitment to protecting the integrity of the Federal Government’s student loan programme by ensuring that students receive all benefits due to them. As the scheme continues to expand nationwide, compliance by tertiary institutions will be critical to sustaining public confidence and achieving the programme’s goal of improving access to higher education.
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