The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has commended the federal government for approving stipends for students of education in public tertiary institutions.
The government had on Tuesday announced the payment of N75, 000 and N50, 000 stipends per semester for students pursuing a degree in education and a Nigeria Certificate in Education, respectively.
“Undergraduate B. Ed /B.A. Ed / B.Sc. Ed students in public institutions will receive stipends of N75,000 per semester, while NCE students will receive stipends of N50,000 per semester,” according to the government’s announcement.
The ASUU chairman, Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) chapter, Dr. Christopher Echereobia, gave the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday, in Owerri.
Echereobia, a senior lecturer with the Department of Crop Science and Technology, described the decision as “a step in the right direction,” given the fact that education was the bedrock of excellence in all fields of human endeavour.
He noted that successful countries had gotten it right with their education systems, adding that the approved funds, if properly channelled, would alleviate the sufferings of poor students and encourage aspiring students to consider a career in education.
Echereobia, however, called on the government to take urgent steps to ensure that the funds were disbursed to the intended beneficiaries.
“To pay stipends to students of education is a welcome development and a step in the right direction. This will encourage more students to pursue a career in education thus strengthening the foundation for a greater Nigeria.
“I urge the federal government to put necessary machinery in place so as to ensure that funds for this purpose are not diverted.”
