The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has vowed to resist the alleged plans by some tertiary institutions to increase tuition fees.
NANS president, Chinonso Obasi in a statement issued in Abuja, said that the students’ union had received the report that no fewer than 38 tertiary institutions had concluded plans to jack up tuition fees.
Recall that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) had confirmed that no fewer than 38 universities across the country had increased their tuition fees.
Obasi in the statement said that the association was angered by the move as Nigerian students had over the years been made to bear the brunt of administrative ineptitude of managers of tertiary institutions.
“In saner climes, education funding includes revenue from researches and consultative collaborations. Implementation of UNESCO strategies, particularly commercialising research findings should occupy Nigeria educational institutions rather than constant hike in tuition fees payable by hapless students.
“However NANS believes that the planned hike in tuition fees would be the last straw that would break the cycle of obnoxious levy on learning and pursuit of education”, he said.
He regretted that the APC-led administration had not showed enough commitment to improving the education sector and the plight of students.
He said that Nigerian students did not deserve such harsh punishment as fee increase would further limit the capacity of students to dream of a better future.
“Consequently, NANS wishes to serve notice to the authorities concerned that Nigerian students will never endure any increase in tuition at this time of the nation’s socio-economic challenges.
“If administrators of Nigeria’s educational institutions have run out of ideas of funding and sustaining educational institutions in the country, they should feel free to liaise with students to explore new ways of funding the institutions.
“While we express our readiness to dialogue with chief executives of tertiary institutions, NANS wishes to reiterate the fact that Nigerian students have been patient with the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.
“The President Buhari administration should recognise that this is time to reward the understanding and cooperation of Nigerian students with education subsidy, proper funding of education and adequate welfare initiatives for students,” he said.
