The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in the Bauchi zone has restated its preference for grants over student loans to support their education, as disclosed by Associate Professor Lazarus Maigoro, the Bauchi zonal coordinator of ASUU, on Saturday.
Maigoro emphasized that the Bauchi zone of ASUU is actively gathering data on students who may be at risk of dropping out after the current academic session. The aim is to use this information to advocate for a reconsideration of the government’s decision on student loans and propose the adoption of grants instead.
He questioned the viability of student loans, raising concerns about the repayment burden and the potential impact on students’ academic performance. Maigoro expressed worry about the psychological stress students might endure, anticipating that graduating with a loan of N4 million or more, without the means to repay, would negatively affect their well-being.
In his opening statement, the ATBU branch chairperson, Comrade Ibrahim Inuwa, assured that ASUU remains committed to advocating for the collective interest of quality tertiary education and acting as a socially responsible union.