The Honourable Member representing Kwande/Ushongo Federal Constituency and former Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee on Student Loans and Access to Higher Education, Hon. Terseer Ugbor, has raised an urgent call for comprehensive reforms in Benue State’s higher education sector. His call comes amid a growing dispute between students and the management of Benue State University (BSU) over a proposed increase in tuition fees—a development that, according to him, could potentially trigger an avoidable strike and disrupt academic activities.
In a statement made available to the press, Rep. Ugbor expressed deep concern over the unrest brewing within the student community. He acknowledged the right of the Benue State Government to review and adjust tuition fees in a bid to improve the quality of education offered at public institutions. However, he was quick to caution that such policy decisions must be paired with well-structured mechanisms to ease the financial burden on indigent students.
“The current economic climate, marked by high inflation and pervasive insecurity, has plunged many families into hardship,” Ugbor noted. “As such, any increase in school fees must be balanced with adequate provisions to support those who are struggling to make ends meet.”
To this end, Ugbor urged the Benue State Government to establish a state-level student loan program to complement the federal Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) launched under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. He emphasized that access to quality education should not be a privilege reserved for the affluent but a right for all citizens, regardless of their socio-economic status.
He also used the opportunity to draw attention to the moribund state of the Benue State Scholarship Board. Describing it as “completely comatose,” the lawmaker lamented that the board, once a beacon of support for academically gifted but financially disadvantaged students, now exists in name only.
“It is disheartening that the Benue State Scholarship Board, which ought to be driving educational empowerment through scholarships and grants, is inactive at a time when its services are needed the most,” Ugbor said. “Reviving the board and retooling it to meet current realities must be a priority for the state government.”
Beyond immediate financial interventions, Rep. Ugbor called for a deeper, policy-driven transformation of the higher education landscape in Benue. He criticized the absence of structured incentives to reward academic excellence and highlighted the lack of state-sponsored opportunities for postgraduate and research studies.
“The system does not currently reward brilliance, nor does it encourage students to pursue advanced degrees that could enrich our intellectual capital and drive innovation,” he noted. “This must change if we are truly committed to building a knowledge-based society.”
He also pointed out the broader implications of educational stagnation on the state’s development trajectory. According to Ugbor, investing in education is not just about producing graduates but about equipping a new generation with the tools to solve societal problems, stimulate economic growth, and secure the future.
“A society that neglects the education of its youth is a society on the brink of decline,” he warned. “We must urgently reimagine our education policies, not just to fix current challenges but to anticipate and prepare for future demands.”
Rep. Ugbor reiterated his belief that meaningful reforms in the higher education sector would require collaborative engagement among government officials, educational administrators, student representatives, and civil society. He pledged to continue advocating for student-friendly policies at the federal level while urging the Benue State Government to follow suit at the state level.
Hon. Ugbor’s call underscores the pressing need for a holistic and inclusive overhaul of the higher education system in Benue State. As tensions continue to rise around tuition hikes, his intervention serves as a timely reminder that education policy must be rooted not only in financial sustainability but also in fairness, accessibility, and a long-term vision for societal advancement.
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