…Accuses Polytechnic Rector of fee inflation
President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has raised serious allegations of financial misconduct in the disbursement of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), accusing the management of D.S. Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic, Itori, Ogun state, of inflating students’ tuition fees on the loan portal.
Speaking during an engagement with stakeholders, the NANS President specifically fingered the Rector of the institution, Dr. Ra’uf Adegoke, alleging that tuition figures uploaded on the NELFUND portal were significantly higher than the actual fees paid by students.
According to him, the institution charges ₦236,000 for Higher National Diploma (HND I) students, yet an amount of ₦350,000 was reportedly uploaded on the NELFUND portal for beneficiaries in that category. He further alleged that National Diploma II (ND II) students, who are required to pay ₦152,000 as school fees, were represented on the portal with a tuition figure of ₦330,000.
The NANS president described the discrepancies as alarming and called for an immediate investigation by relevant authorities, including NELFUND management, the Federal Ministry of Education, and anti-corruption agencies.
He stated that Nigerian students deserve transparency and accountability in the administration of the student loan scheme, stressing that any attempt to exploit the programme undermines the Federal Government’s efforts to make higher education more accessible.
The allegations have sparked reactions among students and education stakeholders, with many calling for a comprehensive audit of institutions participating in the NELFUND scheme to ensure that funds are disbursed based on accurate tuition records.
As of the time of filing this report, the management of D.S. Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic and its Rector, Dr. Ra’uf Adegoke, had not officially responded to the allegations.
