FG rolls out insurance cover for students, parents of unity schools

THE Federal Government has reintroduced the compulsory payment of N5,000.00 by every student of the 104 Federal Government Colleges, otherwise known as Unity Schools, for a comprehensive insurance cover for both parents and students.

Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, who made this known at the weekly briefing on the policies and activities of his ministry, said this became imperative in addressing the challenge of school drop-out, especially when the parent or sponsor of a student dies.

He noted that even though the policy was introduced in 2014, it could not take off effectively as a result of some encumbrances, saying those challenges have been addressed and that government has engaged Insurance Underwriters and Brokers for the provision of various classes of insurance in the Unity Schools.

Speaking on the student welfare insurance schemes, he explained that the students were to pay N5, 000 only per session, saying the scheme was designed to ensure that once a child is admitted into any of our Unity schools, that child will never drop out of school on account of loss of parents or guardians responsible for the payment of his or her school fees.

According to him, the policy provides that in the case of death of a student, the parents/sponsor would be given a one-off payment in the sum of N500, 000.00 only, while the case of death of parent/sponsor, the student would be paid the sum of N500, 000 per session for a maximum of N2,500,000.00 only.

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The Minister further revealed that in the case of accident of a student, the sum of N50, 000.00 only would be provided for medical expenses, but in the event of the death of student/parent/sponsor, the sum of N50, 000.00 only would be provided for burial expenses.

He said: “In other words, the insurance company takes over the payment of the child’s school fees from where the parents or guardian stopped. I want to use this opportunity to call on all parents, to honour this obligation on a yearly basis in line with government policy in this regard.

“The N5, 000.00 (Five Thousand Naira) only Premium will be Paid along with the school fees as it is part of the scale of fees. This policy is cheap compared to the expected enormous benefits it will confer on the parties,” he said.

On comprehensive fire and general peril cover for buildings and content of the 104 Federal Unity Colleges, Adamu, disclosed that three insurance Underwriters were appointed along with Brokers.

He said each of the Underwriters would cover Schools in 2 Geo-political zones (one zone from the North and the 2nd zone from the South).

The total Premium to be paid to the three (3) Underwriters and Brokers will amount to N198 million only for the 104 Federal Unity Colleges.

He noted that this would provide a total coverage of N900, 000,000.00 per school for buildings and N200, 000,000 per school for content.

The Minister said there was also the provision of comprehensive vehicle insurance cover for the vehicles of the 104 Federal Unity Colleges, noting that the Ministry engaged 2 Insurance Underwriters and Brokers in this regard.

He said a total premium of N70 million only would be paid to the Underwriters and Brokers for this comprehensive coverage while a total number of vehicles to be covered is 326 with a total value of N947, 260,000.00.

He called on the insurance companies, Parents Teachers Association (PTA) and the Principals of Unity Schools to take out time to explain this policy of the government to all the parties concerned.

He said: “It is painful to see any student drop out of school due to the death of his/her sponsor. On our part as government, we shall continue to ensure that all insurance companies involved in this scheme honour their obligations as and when due.”

He warned that any insurance company involved in this scheme that fails to honour its obligations would be severely dealt with, stressing that it was the expectation of government that this policy would lead to greater enrolment in our Unity Schools.

“By 2020, it is expected that enrolment in our Unity Schools occasioned by this policy would have increased by at least 20%. Proactively, our 2020 budget will factor in a carrying capacity expansion project in some of the Unity School that need to expand this carrying capacity.

“This could be done by way of building annexes for some of these schools or where space is not a problem within a school, build more classrooms, laboratories, hostels and other facilities required to take in more students,” he said.

The Principal of the Federal Government Girls’ College (FGGC) Bwari, Mrs Stellamaris Omu, described the comprehensive insurance cover for the Unity Schools as laudable, saying it was painful seeing a child dropping out of school on the account of the death of the parent.

She noted that the policy is now effective in all the schools since the current administration took steps to reinvigorate the scheme of its critical importance to the welfare of students.