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Students of Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University have expressed serious concerns over an alleged directive from the university administration compelling them to sign an undertaking after refusing or failing to pay tuition fees linked to the Federal Government’s Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) scheme.
The NELFUND was introduced to ease the financial burden on students by providing access to loans for tuition payments. However, implementation challenges have triggered widespread discontent across institutions, including Tarka University.
Affected students claim that those who declined or were unable to access the NELFUND facility are being mandated to sign a binding undertaking as a precondition for continuing their academic activities. According to circulating reports, the document allegedly commits them to specific obligations regarding fee payments, raising fears of possible sanctions or academic restrictions if the terms are not met.
Some students have described the move as coercive, insisting that financial constraints and delays in accessing the loan scheme should not result in punitive measures. A student who spoke anonymously said, “We are being asked to sign documents we barely understand. Many of us have genuine difficulties accessing the loan.” Another added, “This is putting unnecessary pressure on students who are already struggling.”
As of the time of this report, the university management has not issued any official statement on the matter. Stakeholders are calling for clarity and a more flexible approach to ensure that students are not unfairly disadvantaged in their pursuit of education.
