Bayelsa students reject Gov Dickson loan scheme, want bursary paid

Students from the Bayelsa State Central Senatorial District have rejected the loan scheme initiated by Governor Seriake Dickson,saying what they need is bursary not a loan scheme.

The aggrieved students led by the Deputy Senate President of National Union of Bayelsa State (NUBSS), Comrade Profit James Taylor said though the students are experiencing difficulty in the payment of school fees, it’s better for the state government to pay them their bursary rather than the proposed students loan scheme by the government.

He further said the students from Bayelsa central senatorial district are rejecting the loan because it will be a burden on the student, and their certificate seized by the State Government as collateral if they don’t pay back.
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Comrade James Taylor, who is also the Central Coordinator of the Senator Emmanuel Paulker School Fees Subsidy scheme, made this known in Yenagoa on Tuesday.

Taylor, bemoaned the inability of the Bayelsa State Government to pay bursary to students, insisting that “the Dickson-led government has neglected the tertiary level of education and paid much attention to only the secondary level of education.”

He called on other federal law makers from the state to follow the good steps of Paulker,‎”There are some brilliant students who need money to buy Jamb forms, but are unable to purchase. Let us not allow them to become wayward because of lack of help.”

Thirty Students from the Bayelsa Central Senatorial district of the State benefited from the school fees subsidy scheme initiated by the Senator representing the district, Senator Emmanuel Paulker.

The beneficiaries, who were selected from the three local Government areas of Kolokuma/Opokuma, Yenagoa and Southern Ijaw, were handed N50,000 each to reduce the financial burden the students in their various higher institution of learning.

‎Senator Emmanuel Paulker, while handing the envelopes to beneficiaries noted that there is no political attachment to the gesture,” but a mere subvention to assist students who are yet to pay school fees in their various institutions.”