The Senate yesterday passed the Student Loans (Access to Higher Education) Act (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill, 2024. The resolution of the Senate followed its consideration of the report of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND that considered the Bill. The Chairman of the Committee, Senator Muntari Dandutse (APC – Katsina South) presented the report during plenary. President Bola Tinubu had last week transmitted the Bill to the National Assembly for its consideration and passage. The Senate had given the bill accelerated hearing by suspending relevant sections of its standing rules and referred the Bill to the Committee of the Whole for consideration. After debate on the bill, Senate President Godswill Akpabio referred the proposed legislation to the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND for further legislative work and to report back in one week. The bill seeks to provide easy access to higher education for indigent Nigerians through interest free loans from the Nigerian Education Loan Fund established in the Act with a view to providing education for all Nigerians. Some amendments sought to the Act by President Bola Tinubu, according to an explanatory memorandum made available to reporters include the establishment of the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND)..
THISDAY