The House Representative has yesterday directed the National University Commission, NUC, to immediately suspend the implementation of tuition fee hike across the public universities nationwide. This follows the adoption of motion moved by member Hon. Aliyu Madaki (NNPP, Kano) at the plenary. It was learned that recently, there have been complain from parents across the country over a coordinated tuition fee hike by public universities across the country which is threatening school drop out by student occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy, as many families are financially facing difficulties.
According to report, most federal universities and state universities alike have jacked their tuition fee to as high as 300%, an adjustment that was greeted with contempt by the parents.
Articulating his points, the lawmaker noted that most federal universities across the country had jerked up their tuition fees up to 200 – 300 per cent despite poor funding of tertiary education and rising inflation in the country.
The lawmaker expressed concern that the fee hike is coming at a time the country is facing difficulty and financial constrain spiked by the removal of fuel subsidy in most homes.
Madaki said, not only school fees, hostel fees were also increased madly by major universities across the country like; Bayero University, Kano (BUK), the University of Nigeria (UNN), Nsukka; the University of Uyo, University of Maiduguri, and Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, among others.
He lamented that the hike may lead to disruption in the student learning process as many parents cannot afford to sponsor the children attending public school, saying that this will lead to many dropouts and would ultimately lead to brooding more thugs into our streets.
The lawmaker added, when the drop out is allow to happen, it will aggravate the already security situation the country is managing with the paltry resources available as many will be forced to differ their studies.
He warned his colleagues that the action of the universities will come with a greater security consequence on the country.
Consequently, the lawmakers responded by directing the NUC to with immediate effect halt the implementation of the hike in public universities.
The House of reps further mandated the Committee on Tertiary Education and Services, when constituted, to investigate the increase of fees by federal universities across the country with a view to finding lasting solutions to the challenges in the tertiary education sector.
