Edo State Deputy Governor, Dennis Idahosa, on Friday has urged the citizens of the state to take advantage of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund to pursue higher education irrespective of their background.
He described the policy as noble and said President Bola Tinubu has demonstrated not only his passion to see the youths succeeds, but that parents financial status should determine the dream of the students.
In a statement on Friday by the Chief Press Secretary to the deputy governor, Friday Aghedo, Idahosa made the remarks when he played host to the Managing Director and other management staff of the NELFUND in Benin on Thursday.
Idahosa said Edo State government would collaborate with relevant agencies to drive the process in mobilising and sensitising all students who are bonafide indigenes of the state and qualified for the loan to embrace the concept to realise their dreams of pursuing their educational ambition to the highest levels.
He noted that the Monday Okpebholo-led administration remained committed to educational development where all students, irrespective of tribe, gender, social status, and religious affiliation, were entitled to qualitative education.
He said, “Indeed, this remains a noble idea in our political trajectory and has thus broken the barriers of lack of funds that have killed the dreams of many of our people in their quest for higher educational pursuit.
“This initiative of President Bola Tinubu’s government will unlock the potentials of many youths who now have access to higher educational pursuits through the NELFUND,” Idahosa stated.
In his address, the NELFUND boss, Akintunde Sawyerr, said that the scheme was designed to address the level of drop out of school children as a result of paucity of funds to further their educational pursuit to an appreciable standard.
He said, “NELFUND is well funded by the Federal Government to enable all federal and state higher institutions to accelerate the participation of their students to benefit from the scheme.”
He commended the president for having the political will to set up NELFUND, which he added had so far disbursed funds to hundreds of students in payment of school fees and enrollment for different stages of examinations.
On his part, the state Commissioner of Education, Dr Paddy Iyamu, lauded the scheme for reducing the burden on parents grappling with their children’s educational pursuit.
He reiterated the commitment of his ministry to carry out more sensitisation to enable students to have first-hand information on the benefits inherent in the NELFUND to enable them realise their dreams of becoming future leaders.