Jutha Gupah, Maiduguri
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has kicked against Universities’ fee hikes and other registration charges for studying in the country, Nigeria.
According to the students; Association, the hikes in Universities students’ fees is a national threat that could produce fresh terrorists, bandits and kidnappers in the six geopolitical zone.
The country’s education sector was also allocated only N1.79 trillion or 8.8 per cent of the total N21.5 trillion budget for 2023.
While kicking the increase in Universities’ fees, over the weekend (Friday), at a news conference in Maiduguri, Borno state, the National Vice President of NANS, Comrade Suleman Muhammad Sarki, disclosed: “The top ten most developed countries (DCs) in the world are at peace,” noting that; while the 10 main less developed countries (LDCs) are however either in a state of war or insecure to protect people’s lives.
According to him, the higher a nation attains education at the tertiary level, the stronger its security architectures to sustain peace to reduce poverty, unemployment and youths restiveness.
He declared that the increases in University fees and other charges for students will not contribute to the security of the nation and its citizens.
“The decision to raise varsity fees for students was kicked and condemned by the leadership of NANS across the country,” he said.
He noted that the students are worried about Government’s insincerity to give the needed priority to the education sector at all levels.
Sarki also lamented the falling standards of education due to what he described as; “The insensitivity of the Federal Government in its inability to provide conducive teaching, learning and working environments for both students and teachers.”
“The basic facilities are also lacking,” he added, noting that this could lead the Universities not to compete comparatively in research, teaching and scholarships not only in Africa, but across the globe.
He said thousands of the returning students this year could not afford the hiked fees and other charges of various departments of the Universities.
On the hiked varsity fees, he said: “I’ve been paying N29, 800 in the last session for the fees and the N30, 000 for other charges from other Departments the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID),” disclosing that the hikes in fees and other charges rose by 150 per cent.
He lamented that with the UNIMAID hikes in fees, he will be asked to pay no less than N74, 000 per session this year.
According to him, the increased varsity fees will definitely lead to massive University dropouts, particularly in the Northeast region affected by the 13-year Boko Haram insurgency that claimed many lives and property.
“We tagged the Universities’ hikes in fees as an alarming threat that requires an urgent intervention from the North East Governors,” he said.
He, therefore, urged the international community, philanthropists and corporate organisations to rescue the Nigerian universities from collapsing.
According to him, the Nigerian government has no intension to prioritize the education sector, as only N1.79 trillion was allocated out of the N21.8 trillion national budget for 2023.
He warned that failure to rescind the hikes in fees and other charges; the students will “consolidate, consult and protest” against increase in students’ Universities fees.
End.
