By Desmond Ejibas
Port Harcourt – Dr Helen Nsirim, an official of the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, has cautioned parents against making double payments of tuition fees for their undergraduate children.
Nsirim, who is the Information and Public Relations Officer at the Federal Information Centre, Port Harcourt, made the remark in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday.
She advised parents to first verify the list of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) beneficiaries before paying the tuition to avoid being extorted by the wards.
According to her, investigations have shown that some students who accessed the NELFUND loan deliberately concealed the information from their parents in order to collect tuition fees from them.
“This is a wrong approach, especially in these difficult times when many parents are struggling financially.
“The Federal Government established the loan scheme to ease the burden of tuition on both parents and students,” she said.
Nsirim urged NELFUND to enhance transparency by publishing the list of loan beneficiaries annually, through universities, national newspapers, and its official social media platforms.
She explained that such measures would empower parents to confirm their children’s loan status and prevent unnecessary financial strain.
She added that the student loan body also had the responsibility of ensuring proper sensitisation.
Nsirim said that although the National Orientation Agency (NOA) had been active in sensitising the public, parents must also take the initiative.
She further advised parents to stay informed about student loan programmes and explore available opportunities to reduce their financial burden.
“Instead of spending time on social media following trends and gossip, parents should check what NELFUND is doing and encourage their children to apply if eligible,” she said.
NAN reports that NELFUND was established to provide financial loan support to Nigerian students in tertiary institutions with the aim of improving access to higher education. (NAN)
