Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, has called for the setting up of an Education Bank that will provide interest- free loans to students in tertiary institutions so as to make funding education at that level convenient for all.
He also advocated the setting up of a students loan scheme in the country.
He made the call while delivering the 52nd Convocation lecture of the University of Lagos UNILAG.
The lecture was themed: Building back better; Creating a new framework for tertiary education in Nigeria in the 21st century.
He said in that regard, he had sponsored a bill titled: Students Loans ( Access to Higher Education Bill) in the National Assembly.
He stated that as a lawmaker and politician, one of the most frequent requests he always received was funding for tertiary education, as the future of bright students could be jeopardized.
It will be recalled, that in 2013, such a proposal was made at the lower chambers. Educationists, parents, students and other stakeholders commended the speaker for the laudable initiative, they raised pertinent questions that need to be answered to ensure that, if operational, it doesn’t go the way of other government policies.
