CITIZENS COMPASS – THE Presidency on Wednesday, July 26, said reports of a hike in tuition fee in Nigeria instititions of learning are untrue.
Speaking, the Presidency said despite the hike in ancillary fees at several universities nationwide, tuition remains free in federal universities.
This is coming barely five days after Federal Unity Colleges increased the school fees for new students from N45,000 to N100,000.
For the avoidance of doubts, federal universities in Nigeria remain tuition-free,” a statement signed by the President’s Special Adviser on Special Duties, Communications and Strategy, Dele Alake, reads on Wednesday.
The statement is titled ‘Federal Universities Remain Tuition-free.’
While acknowledging the rise in fees in federal universities in the country, the presidency insisted that these are ancillary fees and do not affect tuition.
“We are aware that some universities have in recent weeks announced increases in the amount payable by students on sundry charges.”
However, the fact remains and we have confirmed that these are discretionary charges by each university for hostel accommodation, registration, laboratory and other charges. They are not tuition fees,” said the Presidency.
It said the authorities of these universities had explained the rationale behind these new fees, adding that the Bola Tinubu administration “remains committed to his promise of ensuring that every Nigerian, regardless of the economic situation of their parents, has access to quality tertiary education.”
In addition to the Students’ Loans Scheme, under the Student Loans Bill signed into law by President Tinubu in June, which will go into implementation ahead of the next academic session in September, Alake said the Federal Government will also strengthen other mechanisms to support indigent students.
“Parts of the government’s plans to make sure all diligent students complete their education on time, notwithstanding their parents’ financial situation, include work-study, merit-based scholarships and grants,” he revealed.
Meanwhile, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has responded to the Presidency’s claim on the tuition fees.
NANS spoke in a statement through its National PRO, Giwa Yisa Temitope.
It reads, “We write to show our opposition to the posture of the Nigerian government towards what we tag astronomical and illogical increment in fees payable across our Universities. We consider the claim by President Tinubu that Nigerian Universities are tuition-free, as deceitful and misleading.
“Making such claim, in a period where university authorities are embarking on obnoxious increment in fees is merely a dubious attempt to conceal the real picture and the extent of the crises the federal government and authorities of tertiary institutions have driven the students into.
“Also, it shows callousness of the Tinubu-led administration and lack of willingness to ensure the education sector is uplifted.
” The argument of the Special Adviser to the President on Special Duties, Communications and Strategy, Dele Alake is most sickening and embarrassing.
The funding of education remains the sole responsibility of the government and it must remain as such. For no reason should the government, as Dele Alake is trying effortlessly to do, shift the responsibility of funding education to the students or their suffering parents.
“We maintain that there is no reason whatsoever for the increment in fees payable across our Universities. Therefore, we demand immediate and unconditional reversal of the increment in fees in all the affected institutions.
” Yes, federal Universities remain tuition-free but the sundry payment students are being tasked to pay should solely be the sole responsibility of the government. As a matter of fact, if truly” Tinubu is interested in ensuring that every Nigerian regardless of the economic situation has access to quality education, as being painted by Dele Alake in his press text on behalf of the Nigerian Presidency, his administration must invest more substantially in the education sector, to ensure access to quality education for everyone, regardless of economic background.
“In light of the outrageous fees paid by Nigerian students, the tuition-free policy is tantamount to free tuition in exchange for outrageous fees!
” Increasing fees payable will automatically deny thousands of students access to education and we, as an association has resolved to vehemently oppose it. Students loan which Dele Alake is fronting is far from the way-forward but grants , aids and scholarship. This is because the student loan scheme is an attempt to turn students into life-long debtors in exchange for a service which ought to be provided for by the government.
“In an economy where gainful employment has become a miracle people pray for in religious centres, it is callous to make them debtors even before they commence their career. We also consider the students loan scheme as an effort in the wrong direction. The conditions attached to the loan are bogus and almost impossible to meet by any students. It appears the loan policy on paper is a loan for all, while in practice it is a loan for NONE.
“We demand that the students loan scheme should be abandoned, and funds should be injected into the education sector. We maintain that proper funding of the education sector is the only way to ensure students, irrespective of their economic condition, have access to quality education. “It is our fear, that the present administration, just like previous ones, is toying the path of complete destruction of public education.”
