Borno Emirate Concerned Citizens Forum (BECCF) has appealed to the management of the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) to consider a downward review of the increment of tuition fees recently announced by the institution.
The forum also appealed to the school’s management to create an avenue to relieve parents from the burden of payment through instalments in two terms/semesters, bearing in mind the current economic hardship faced by all Nigerians.
In a statement issued by the chairman of BECCF, Dr Hassan Zanna Boguma. which was obtained by LEADERSHIP on Tuesday in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
Boguma said with all the deserved respect, the Borno Emirate Concerned Citizens Forum (BECCF) is touched by the excessive increase in tuition fees by the Management of the University of Maiduguri, considering the inflationary rate and the current economic realities, adding that it is pertinent to note therefore, that none of the parties involved will find it favourable especially, the parents.
“Equally, the forum is aware of the financial constraints faced by the University’s Management. And on this premise, the forum observed that the Country’s, as well as the world’s economic situations, are in an awkward trajectory.
“As we are all aware, the Federal Government of Nigeria has shown a reluctant attitude towards the funding of University Education and other related tertiary institutions. This has created a vacuum that might lead many youths of tertiary-level age not to gain access to University Education. Perhaps the plight and protection of a common man appear to be dampened by some unpatriotic individuals.
“We at Borno Emirate Concerned Citizens Forum are aware of the unrelenting efforts of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in its quest to make successive governments fund the system over and over against their welfare has been futile and it lingers in the minds of every right-thinking individual.
“The forum is aware of the overspilling concern shown by the Academic Staff Union of Universities in making sure that the children of a common man can afford a better university education. We are not unaware of the fact that the Union has sacrificed enough and is still willing on behalf of the common man to persuade the authorities to revitalise the university system.
“The university dons have paid the supreme price by enduring over eight months without salary, simply to make the federal government pay more attention to and invest in university education. The Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment and the federal government should as a matter of urgency release the unpaid salaries of university staff. As we observed, the contractual agreement between them does not only stop at classroom teaching but research, innovation, and community services inclusive.
” Instead of dampening the morale and motivation of Lecturers by refusing to pay their salaries and other emoluments, it is absolutely necessary for the FG to ensure increments of the budgetary allocation reflects the educational spending threshold/standard set by the United Nations. The forum expressed dismay at how smaller African countries adhere to the global best practice of 26 % budgetary allocation to Education, while the giant of Africa cannot. We are assuming that heeding this advice will ensure quality education at all levels,” the Zanna Boguma of Borno said.
The forum called on the students to be law-abiding and should not take the law into their hands and appealed to the students to stay calm and shun any form of violent protests while reacting to the hike in school fees.
