The National Association of Nigerian Students, Zone F covering the South East, has announced plans to hold a Southeast NELFUND Students Appreciation and Awareness Rally, aimed at highlighting the Nigerian Education Loan Fund scheme and pushing wider awareness of it among students across the region. The announcement came from the leadership of NANS Zone F, led by Comrade Ikechukwu Emmanuel, who said the event would bring together students, education stakeholders and beneficiaries from tertiary institutions across the five South East states.

According to the association, the rally is intended both to acknowledge the Federal Government's implementation of NELFUND and to promote greater awareness of the opportunities the scheme offers students facing financial difficulties. NANS stated that financial hardship has historically forced many students to suspend or abandon their studies, and maintained that the loan scheme has helped address that by providing eligible students with financial assistance that eases the burden of tuition payments.

The association disclosed that its Zone F leadership had earlier constituted a fact finding committee to assess the scheme's impact across tertiary institutions in the South East, engaging student leaders, institutional stakeholders and beneficiaries through consultations. Presenting its findings, the committee reported what it described as largely positive feedback from students, with some beneficiaries reportedly crediting the scheme with helping them complete registration, sit examinations and continue their studies. The committee, however, also observed that many eligible students remain unaware of the scheme's application procedures, eligibility requirements and full benefits, and said this points to a need for sustained sensitisation across tertiary institutions.

NANS Zone F said the planned rally would serve as a non partisan platform for beneficiaries from universities, polytechnics and colleges of education across the region to engage on the scheme while encouraging wider participation, and would also be used to educate students yet to benefit from the programme on how to apply. The association added that it would constitute an organising committee to coordinate preparations, and that further details on the date, venue and programme of activities would be communicated as arrangements progress.