NAUS Set To Stage Protest Over Hike In Tuition Fees, Laments Government’s Insensitivity

By Akinwale Kasali

The National Association of University Students, NAUS, is set to embark on a nationwide protest following the hike in the Tuition Fees of Tertiary Institutions and Government Schools nationwide.

NANS is lamenting the alleged insensitivity of the Government in increasing the Tuition Fees at a time Nigerians are facing perilous economic downturn that is affecting the masses.

A statement titled “Warning Against Tuition Fee Increment”, on Saturday, signed by the NAUS Chairman and National Deputy President, Eruobami Ayobami and Babalola Daniel, respectively, reads:

“It is with great displeasure as we Write to condemn the act of the Federal Government as well as higher institutions who have decided to increase the price of tuition in this current economic disintegration,” part of the statement read.

“It would be recalled that yesterday, Friday 21st July, 2023, the Management of the University of Lagos, UNILAG, had increased its fees for undergraduate students in the institution and was contained in a statement dated July 20, 2023, by the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, UNILAG branch following a meeting with the top management staff.

“The students of the institution previously paid N19,000 but the management has fixed new fees at N190,250 for students studying medicine while for courses that require laboratory and studio, students are to pay N140,250.

“The Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Education has increased the school fees of new students into Federal Government Colleges otherwise known as Federal Unity Colleges to ₦100,000.

“This development has widely been criticized, as Nigerians are lamenting that the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Administration is further impoverishing the people with children of the masses been denied access to University education by this astronomical increment.

According to the circular entitled, “Approved fees/ charges for Federal Unity Colleges (1st Term) for new students“, signed by the Director of Senior Secondary Education, Hajia Binta Abdulkadir, new students are expected to part with ₦100,000 instead of the previous N45,000.

NAUS is however querying what prompted the increment saying that it is evident that the state of our university education is not encouraging and as such, implementations that will further negatively affect the educational system would not be encouraged.

“University is where every profession that runs the nation is trained and mentored, investing in the origin of every profession should never be a problem for any nation interested in development.

It warned that the student populace would not hesitate to stage a protest against any enactment on tuition increment.

“We want to reiterate that as students, we won’t hesitate to come out en-mass to protest against any form of implementation that poses a threat to the students’ community,” it added.

While assuring students of its commitment to protecting their interests at all times, the student’s body further urged various higher institutions that have made plans to hike their school fees to reconsider their plans as it will only do more bad than good to the academic system and as well adverse effect on the students.