Education

FG, Stakeholders educate Parents, Schools on Hurried Child’s Implications

Published

3 years ago

November 17, 2022

Joel Ajayi

The Federal Government has frowned at all the school especially private schools owners who were involved in the hurried child project to desist from it or face the wrath of the Law.

The Minister of Education Malam Adamu Adamu gave this warning at the one day stakeholders Town hall meeting for the hurried child project organized by A Mother’s of Love initiative AMLI in collaboration with the National Orientation Agency NOA and others agencies on Thursday in Abuja with the theme: “The hurried child syndrome: “Implications for sustainable National development.”

The Child Syndrome is the condition in which parents over-schedule their children’s lives, push them hard for academic achievement, and expect them to act and react like miniature adults.

The minister, who was represented by Director, Senior Secondary Schools, Federal Ministry of Education, Hajia Binta Abdulkadir, the Deputy Director, Senior Secondary Education Department in the ministry, said “rushing and pushing the education of children by parents and schools must stop.”

Minister described the trend as “counterproductive and distorting the natural growth and development of children.

According to him, Most pupils transition from primary five or even primary four to secondary school. This leaves most schools without the primary six classes.

“This unhealthy trend is also found in the Senior Secondary School where students in SSI and SS2 sit for terminal and university entrance examinations.”

Adamu, who attributed the trend to parent’s desire and impatience, misconception of the interpretation of the Nigerian Education system (6-3-3-4), added that the practice could impact the child and the society negatively.

Other problems, he said, were weak regulatory enforcement of the National Policy on Education, as well as the lack of sensitization on the negative impact of the practice.

Malam Adamu urged all quality assurance agencies and practitioners to be up and doing in tackling this menace.”

In her remark, the Chief Executive Officer of AMIL, Mrs Hannatu Enwemadu, said the meeting was to provide a platform for stakeholders to take action and curb the practice of hurrying children during their formative years.

“So, to give this advocacy a national feel, we have to bring it here to Abuja to present the issue nationally.

“We will assess and create awareness among government and inter-government agencies, international bodies, to work for collaboration and partnership,” she said.

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Education

NELFUND assures students of smart system to improve loan access

Published

1 month ago

May 7, 2025

The Gleamer

Mariam Abeeb

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has assured students it was working assiduously towards building a technology driven system that would improve easy access to its loans.

This was as the FUND disclosed that no fewer than 320,000 students have thus far been paid with many more currently undergoing verification process to enable their payments.

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer NELFUND, Mr. Akintunde Sawyerr gave the assurances in Abuja, while addressing Polytechnics , Monotechnics and Institutes at a Stakeholders Engagement Session/ Technical Workshop on NELFUND System Automation and Loan Application Processes.

Sawyerr noted that the FUND was targeting a platform where students could access loan with confidence and without stress in a manner that was transparent and accountable.

He said: “At NELFUND our mission goes beyond giving loans. It’s about opening doors, it’s about making sure every young Nigerian who is willing to learn and grow has a real shot regardless of their background, location, or chosen path of study.

“For too long, many students, especially in technical institutions, have faced steep financial barriers; some drop out, others have never even applied. This is the gap we at NELFUND are here to close. But we know we can’t do it alone.

“This is a shared mission. It belongs to all of us, government institutions and the private sector alike. This technical workshop marks a major step forward.

“We’re not only providing financing, we’re building a technology-driven system that makes it easier for students to apply, for institutions to verify, and for funds to be disbursed with speed, fairness, and accountability.

“We’re aiming for access without stress, a platform students can use with confidence; transparency and trust so that no one is left wondering where their application stands; partnership with purpose because your feedback, your data, and your cooperation are critical to making this work. We rely on you as our institutional partners to help us bring this vision to life.”

Sawyerr who commended the institutions for providing technical expertise, practical hands-on training that fuels industries and empowers communities over the years, said besides teaching skills, they have built careers, created employers and strengthened economies.

“You know your students, you understand their struggles, your insights will help us tailor this system to reflect the realities on ground, not just assumptions on paper.

“To NBTE, we value your steady leadership in shaping and regulating technical education. Your collaboration is key as we move forward fully.”

The NELFUND boss urged the institutions to partner with the FUND to deliver a system that was not just functional or sustainable, but one that was transformative

“As we move forward fully, integrating NELFUND processes with institutional systems and standards, let us remember at the heart of all of this is a student, a young Nigerian with dreams, with ambition, and the courage to pursue them. Everything we do must serve that student.

“The only way to make it happen is by working together, listening to one another, and staying grounded in real-world challenges. I encourage you all to engage fully today share what’s working and what is not, and together let’s build something that lasts.”

NELFUND ‘s Executive Director, Operations, Mr. Iyal Mustapha, disclosed that apart from the 320,000 students who have so far been paid, more verifications are currently ongoing.

Mustapha, who explained that the failure of not having the number of registered students tally with the number of students whose application process was deemed successful was from the part of students and not NELFUND, said there was an urgent need to bridge the gap.

He also disclosed that the FUND was considering connecting directly to institution’s portal to get the data they need, and how student could apply to their institutions portal without necessarily reaching out to NELFUND.

“One other thing that we’re trying to do going forward is to send some of our IT to all the institutions so that we can see how possible it is we connect directly to your portal instead of saying please send us data. How can we connect using an API which makes it easier to get the data of any student coming to us directly from your portal and not from our portal. So we don’t need to be collecting any data again.

“At the same time, we’re thinking of seeing how is it possible that a student can apply to your portal without coming to us. So it makes it so easy for the student when they’re doing registration, when they’re doing payments, they can select either to apply for NELFUND loans and the process will go through your portal. So you have all the data without ever reaching to NELFUND. All we need is for you to give assurance these are your students and if we have that, we pay you directly. It makes it simpler and faster for all the students.”

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