Nigerian student unions have demanded the payment of SIWES allowances owed since 2018, commended recent reforms by the new ITF leadership, and urged stakeholders to support ongoing efforts to improve the programme and student welfare.
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has issued a stern warning to higher institutions, pledging to resist any further hikes in student fees.
At a joint press briefing held Friday, the leadership of NANS, the National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS), the National Association of University Students (NAUS), and the National Association of Nigerian Colleges of Education Students (NANCES) expressed deep concern over the non-payment of Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) allowances since 2018. The prolonged delay, they said, has inflicted serious financial hardship on affected students and discouraged participation in the programme.
NANS President Olushola Oladoja, speaking for the coalition, praised Dr. Afiz Oluwatoyin, the new Director-General of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), for taking proactive steps to address the longstanding issue.
“We ask for calm and patience from students. The new ITF leadership is truly committed to industrial and human capital development in alignment with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda,” Oladoja stated.
The student unions also thanked President Tinubu for appointing a dedicated and visionary ITF head, describing it as a decision that has reignited faith in the system.
Oladoja went on to highlight several reforms introduced under the current ITF leadership:
- Backlog Payments in Progress: Efforts are underway to clear overdue SIWES allowances and prevent future delays.
- Improved Supervision: Enhanced coordination aims to improve the quality of SIWES oversight.
- Logbook Charges Abolished: Students will no longer be required to purchase logbooks, which have been replaced.
- Introduction of e-Logbook: A digital system has been launched for better monitoring, accessibility, and transparency.
- Student Representation: For the first time, students will have seats on SIWES policy and monitoring committees.
- Crackdown on Fraud: New accountability measures have significantly reduced exploitation and malpractice.
The student bodies called on all stakeholders to support the reforms and ensure that the SIWES programme fulfills its mandate of bridging academic knowledge with real-world industrial experience.
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