Dr. Oluwatosin Adebayo, the Provost (that means the head) of Harvarde College of Science and Management Studies in Obada, Abeokuta, has shared his thoughts about who should get the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).
He spoke during a media visit and tour of the school’s facilities, where he explained that students in private universities should not be included in the government’s student loan programme.
Why He Said So
Dr. Adebayo believes that most families who send their children to private universities in Nigeria can already afford the expensive school fees — sometimes as high as ₦6 million a year.
He said the government created the education loan to help children from poor families go to school, and since many private school students come from richer families, the money should be kept for those in public schools who really need it.
> “I won’t support those calling for the extension of NELFUND to private school students,” he said.
“This is because poor people won’t send their children to where the tuition is as much as ₦6 million. Those parents are well-to-do.”
Support for Private Institutions in a Different Way
Even though Dr. Adebayo doesn’t support private school students getting loans meant for the poor, he said the Federal Government can still support private schools in other ways.
He mentioned something called TETFund, a fund used by the government to help improve schools through building projects, new equipment, and technology.
He said private institutions should be allowed to benefit from TETFund like government schools do, especially when it comes to building better classrooms and providing good learning tools.
Advice on How to Avoid Corruption in the Loan Process
Dr. Adebayo also gave a strong suggestion to help stop corruption (cheating and stealing) in the way the loan money is given out.
He said that before any student receives a loan, the school must first confirm that the student is real and truly studying there.
After that, the government should send the money directly to the student’s bank account, not through middlemen or school workers.
This, he believes, will make the process safer and cleaner.
On Past Problems in the School
Two years ago, Harvarde College got into trouble for offering Nursing and Law courses without proper approval.
Dr. Adebayo explained that the college has already stopped offering those unapproved courses. He blamed the problem on what he called “bad elements” who tried to cause confusion.
He also said that the college has now applied again properly to teach those courses in the future, following the right process this time.
Approved Courses at Harvarde College
Dr. Adebayo confirmed that all the courses currently taught at Harvarde College are fully approved by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).
The courses include:
1. Accountancy
2. Economics and Management
3. Computer Science
4. Software Engineering
5. Business Administration
6. Crime Management
7. Public Administration
8. Banking and Finance
Commitment to Quality Education
Finally, the Provost said that the college is always working hard to give students the best education possible.
He said Harvarde College is investing a lot of money in good teachers, new buildings, modern learning tools, and better infrastructure, so that every student can learn in a safe, clean, and supportive environment.
