NANS lament hike in fees in public universities
By Sodiq Adelakun
The National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS) have lamented the hike in public universities saying it may increase insecurity in the country.
This is coming from the National Vice President of the association (for special duties), Suleiman Muhammad-Sarki, who spoke on the fee hike at a news conference in Maiduguri.
According to him, the students’ association is calling for a downward review of the fee, adding that most of the students “can’t afford it.”
Suleiman also pointed out that the Northeast region was recovering from the insurgency.
“Increment of any amount on registration charges will definitely lead to a huge number of school dropouts across the country,” he said.
“The recent hike in registration charges by some Nigerian universities does not come to us as a surprise but as an affront to war against insurgency, banditry and kidnapping.
“Students who are unable to pay the new fee might end up becoming dropouts and this will add to the rising number of youth restiveness in Nigeria.
“This may also in return increase the number of insurgents, bandits, and kidnappers.
“As a student who paid N30,000 last session, I could not afford to pay N74,000 now expected from the latest increase, and I may be forced to quit studies.”
The unionist urged the government and other stakeholders to intervene to enable indigent students to access quality education.
Earlier, Ahmed Lawan, UNIMAID registrar, announced an upward review of registration fees and other charges.
“The action is as a result of the rising cost of laboratory items, teaching and learning materials,” he said.
Meanwhile, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has tackled President Muhammadu Buhari’s led All Progressive Congress (APC) administration over the recently revised registration fees for undergraduate students by Universities.
NNPP gubernatorial candidate in Jigawa State, Malam Aminu Ibrahim Ringim stated this on Tuesday, January 3, 2022, after presenting flags to the candidates of the Jigawa North West Senatorial zone at Gumel.
He said the APC administration had made life miserable for Nigerian citizens by creating unnecessary poverty through its impoverished policies and programs.
According to him “Universities have increased their registration fees, making it difficult for the poor families to send their children to universities or complete their studies.
“For a student who wants to study science courses must pay about N200,000 or above as registration fees in some of the Universities.
“For years Federal Government has failed overtime to invest fully in the sustenance of tertiary education thereby shifting the burden to parents.”
