New Hope for NOUN Students: Vice Chancellor Clarifies Student Loan Eligibility
Lagos, July 9, 2024
In a dramatic turn of events, the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) has addressed the confusion surrounding student loans for its students. The university’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Olufemi Peters, expressed concern over misleading statements suggesting that NOUN students were ineligible for the newly launched student loan scheme.
Background and Initial Misinformation
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) had previously stated that NOUN students were not eligible to apply for student loans due to their supposed lack of Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) registration numbers—a critical criterion for accessing the fund. However, Prof. Peters has now set the record straight.
JAMB Misrepresentation Corrected
Prof. Peters attributed the initial confusion to misrepresentation by JAMB. He clarified that NOUN students do indeed possess JAMB registration numbers, as the university registers them with JAMB every semester. Additionally, NOUN adheres to the same admission processes as other conventional institutions. Therefore, students at NOUN meet the essential criteria for accessing the student loan scheme.
Anxiety Among NOUN Students
The recent developments caused anxiety among NOUN students who had hoped to leverage the student loan opportunity to pursue their university education. With Prof. Peters’ clarification, there is newfound hope for NOUN students seeking financial assistance.
