The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), has lamented the sudden increase in tuition fees by some public universities in the country, calling for a considerable review to ease financial burden on students.
Recall that institutions such as Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) Bauchi, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria and IBB University recently increased school fees respectively.
The hike in tuition fees has been condemned as an untimely, immoral, unconscionable, height of insensitivity and unacceptable attempt to deny the children of the poor access to affordable education.
The president, NANS, Sunday Asefon said the increment in the fees by these universities are inconsiderate, unnecessary and unacceptable.
“How can you just increase fees by over 100% with the current economic realities, it is an indirect effort to ensure that poor masses are denied access to university education and this will be fought hard.
“NANS has written to reject some of these increments and the national Secretariat of NANS will be relocated to ABU Zaria on Tuesday to physically agitate for reversal to the status quo while the management consulted widely with critical stakeholders to determine merit in the argument of the University for increment in fees and determine the percentage increment.
“The current increment is unacceptable and NANS will do everything required to reject and ensure it doesn’t see the light of the day.”
He noted that given the economic realities imposed by COVID-19, nations around the world are doing all it takes to cushion the effect on the poor masses and any effort to increase fees by 40% and above at this period will be counter-productive and fight to stand still.
Credit: Leadership