The increase in tuition fees in some nation’s educational institutions has students and parents anticipating the beginning of an academic session like no other.
This is happening against the worsening poverty level the country is faced with, due to galloping inflation and high unemployment in Nigeria.
LEADERSHIP Weekend gathered that a number of students in federal government-run universities are facing disruptions in their studies in 2023 after many institutions increased their tuition fees by 100 per cent to 200 per cent.
At the primary and secondary school levels, the frequent increases in school fees and other levies have also raised concerns amongst parents and guardians.
Primary and Secondary schools across Nigeria resumed for the first term of the 2022/2023 academic session on January 9, 2022 and many of them reportedly increased fees despite the outcry by parents about the outrageous fees, especially in private schools.
While the increment may force some underprivileged students out of school, others may have to defer their studies for at least a year.
Although, the universities justified the hike on poor government funding of tertiary education and rising inflation in the country, which shot up to 21.47 per cent, the highest in 17 years in November 2022, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
But parents and students who spoke exclusively to LEADERSHIP weekend said the universities must consider the plight of students in their decision making.
They are worried about the hope of many students continuing with education in their respective schools. Student organisations on their parts are calling for cuts in the tuition fees.
Yet universities have done little to respond to these calls and the students’ bodies are willing to take further actions.
The university students just recovered from the effects of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) eight months strike and are now faced with another burden as some prominent public universities in the country increased tuition fees.
Many federal universities across the country have announced over 200 per cent hike in registration and tuition fees for students.
Federal University Lokojo for instance, a few days ago increased fees up to 300 percent. The remedial courses which was N50,000 has been hiked to N100,000 while fees for new intake students which was formerly N56,000 now moved to N188,500.
Also, the fees for new intake art/social sciences hitherto fixed for N55,000 has been increased to N183,500 just as returning students are expected to pay N113,000 against the former fees of N47,000, while student accommodation per bed space which was charged for N20,000 before has been hiked by the Vice Chancellor to N60,000 while the GST handbook sold to students at N1,500 per copy now increased to N6,500,” LEADERSHIP gathered.
Other Universities such as Federal University, Dutse reportedly announced a 200 per cent increase in tuition fees for the 2022/2023 academic session in a memo issued in December 2022.
Also, University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) said it hiked associated fees due to rising inflation in the country, while Federal University, Lafia, Nasarawa state, also reportedly increased registration fees by students to as high as N150,000 for some programmes. Among others, students in Medicine will pay N150, 000 as departmental registration fees.
The returning students of the University of Uyo used to pay N50, 000. However, the fee has now reportedly been increased to over N100, 000 while Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, also hiked its tuition fee, blaming the development on the escalating cost of providing services.
That notwithstanding, the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) also hike tuition fee of Undergraduate New Students From #36,000 to #55,000 minus courses and exam registration, Exam registration is #1,500 from #1,000, Project fee #25,000 and for postgraduate from #35,000 to #61,000 ), an increment of like 300 per cent to be paid is felt outrageous and overwhelming for us, our parents and guardians and particularly for many of us who bear the risk of these challenging economic realities to send ourselves to school.
The National Association of Nigerian Students had already expressed strong opposition to the alleged plans by federal universities in the country to increase by 200 per cent their tuition and various other charges from this year.
They urged the President Muhammadu Buhari, to “as a matter of urgency, intervene and stop the plan before it degenerates to a crisis in the nation’s ivory towers.”
Moreovr, the students of NOUN described the increase in tuition fees by the management of NOUN as ill-considered and outrageous while insisting on total reversal and are planning protests should the decision stand.
But following the recent decision of Kogi to increase fees to over 300 percent, there has been serious distress and agony among Nigerian students with many of them begging for reconsideration.
In separate interviews with LEADERSHIP weekend a cross section of students across federal universities and some parents urged the government to improve funding of the institutions so that students will not bear the consequences of increased fees.
Comrade Attah Felix, the Senate President, National Association of Nigerian Children (NANS), reacting to the increase, said the students could no longer bear the consequences of the hike in school fees across some federal universities.
“One of the sole purposes of the existence of our organisation is to better the welfare of Nigerian students and in line with that, we frown and we want to distance ourselves from increment in school fees for whatever level.
“We are aware about the hard times and the changes in prices in the market but for any vigorous or any increase that will be made by any chief executive or any institution or council as a result of trying to put things on our teeming members we say no to that.
“NANS leadership under our watch will not take it and we also make sure that we prioritise the welfare of our students even as we agitate the no increase in tuition fee,” he said
Speaking on the Kogi state fee increment he said the students will meet to decide on the next step
“A committee will be set so that we give a directive to institutions. The students Union President of Kogi state were all here with the Joint Campus Committee Chairman.
“They are the ones that submitted this petition against this increment. So we will do everything possible to make sure that we fight back and ensure review in that amount that has been increased,” Attah added.
A father whose son is in 200 level, Federal University Lokojo, Mr Paul Iorshe accused the institutions of not taking the economic situation of the country into consideration and increasing fees at a high level.
He added that the increment in his son’s fees may have serious effects on the other wards who are seeking admission this year
“The increase is not favourable. Concerned authorities should put into consideration the fact that parents are going through economic. The universities need to reconsider the plight of students and make the fees affordable for students.
“These children are the leaders of tomorrow and they need to get a good education,” he said.
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