NANS plans uniform identity cards for students

Partners eTranzact, Qcuboyds, Yudala others on implementation

The National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS) has disclosed plans to introduce a uniform identification card for all students in the nation’s tertiary institutions.

For effect, NANS is partnering with leading technology and insurance firms for the scheme to materialize.

Speaking with journalists in Lagos, on the initiative, the NANs President, Tijani Usman Sheu, said currently no system gives recognition to the numerous identity documents presented by the Nigerian students, stressing that due to this unfortunate situation, students are robbed of some benefits that normally accrue to them traditionally.

Sheu said after the last Senate meeting of NANS held in Jos, Plateau State on May 13 to 15, the student union body agreed to implement an initiative to create a secured benefit based uniform identification document for all Nigerian Students in tertiary institutions to include but not limited to all recognized diploma and certificate issuing institutions, Vocational and Technical Colleges, Schools of Nursing and Midwifery, Polytechnics, Colleges of Education and Universities.

He stressed that the challenges facing the average Nigerian students in tertiary institutions are numerous, adding that the prevailing security challenges and the economic situation in the country are not making these challenges easier.

According to him, the ID card will be created by a system that will issue a unique identification number using a complex algorithm similar to one recommended to be used on travel documents by the United Nations and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

“The ID card substrate is designed using secured technology reserved for currency printing making it almost impossible to forge. The system will also create a database for all Nigerian students subscribing to this initiative and is designed to be able to generate a user definable statistical data that may be used by the Federal Ministry of Education, States Ministry of Education other approved government institutions and NGO’s to aid in education planning”, he stated.

Sheu said this secured benefit ID card would be called the Nigerian Students Uniform Identification Card (NSUID). He however, stressed that NSUID does not preclude the individual institutions from issuing their own identity card.

The NANS President listed the benefits of NSUID to include ability of the students to generate user identifiable statistics (a needed tool in educational planning); term life insurance, which include sponsorship of the student’s education in the event of death or permanent disability of the students sponsor.