“There Would Be Many Dropouts”: Anxiety, Tension Among Parents, Students as Varsities Hike Fees
- There was tension and anxiety among students and parents as state and federal universities introduced new tuition fees
- Some parents fear that the outrageous increment in tuition would force many students to drop out of school
- They call on the President Bola Tinubu led-federal government to review the hike in fees to avoid the massive withdrawal of students
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The continuous increment in tuition fees at state and federal universities across the country has created tension and anxiety among students and parents.
The fee hike is beginning to appear like a strong wave sweeping across different tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
Source: UGC
The recently signed Students Loan Act by President Bola Tinubu is considered the reason for the upward review of tuition fees, Daily Trust reported.
Nearly 300% increment of tuition fee in AAU Ekpoma
At the state-owned Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, Edo State, the increment was almost 300% in the school’s registration fees.
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Based on the new fees, law students are now expected to pay as high as N741,500 against N185,000 of the previous year while medical students are now expected to pay N638,000 as against N216,000.
The students who protested said the Edo state government had made it impossible for the indigent to attend school.
“What the management is telling us is that before a salary earner in Edo State could send his child to study law, he would have to work for 23 months before he can pay one level school fees for his child,” one of the protesters said.
Responding to the development, the vice president of Inter-campus Affairs, Vanessa Egheahie, said the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) would move its headquarters to AAU Ekpoma to enforce the reversal.
Many UNIMAID students yet to resume due to hike in fees
The situation is not any different at the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) in Borno state.
Speaking with Daily Trust, Malam Yusuf, a student of the chemistry department, said many of his classmates were yet to resume due to the hike in fees.
Yusuf said:
“It is sad that many of us couldn’t afford what the institution charges. In fact, I stopped calling some of my classmates because, what they always told me is mind boggling and you cannot help.”
Another student who wouldn’t want to be identified corroborated, said:
“We used to pay N39, 000 for registration but it is now N150, 000. It is incredible, who will give you this money in addition to the cost of accommodation, feeding, books and others? Many students would resort to fate and withdraw.”
A concerned parent, Gwamna Mshelia, called on UNIMAID management to reconsider its decision.
“Most of these students are from poor family backgrounds. So the university is just saying that education is not for the children of the poor in Nigeria.”
UNIMAID Public Relations Officer, Tanko Ahmad said:
“The Students Union Government (SUG) has contacted the institution that students couldn’t resume due to the hike. To ease the situation for them, the management asked them to pay in instalments, 60 per cent in the first semester and the remaining 40 in the second semester.”
Students to pay up to 220k as tuition fees at Bayero University Kano
The panic mood was also activated at Bayero University, Kano, last week in a special bulletin announcing a new increment.
According to the increment, nursing students would pay (N220,500 (fresh) and N197,500 (returning), and those of the Faculty of Clinical Sciences (MBBS) and Dentistry will pay N170,000 (new) and N160,000 (returning).
All students of education courses will pay between N137,500 and N138,500 for fresh students while returning students will pay between N132,500 and N138,500 depending on their course.
The increment included central registration fees and administrative and hostel maintenance charges for undergraduate and postgraduate students.
Muhammad Suleiman, a recent graduate from Bayero University, Kano (BUK), said:
“If this had happened even in my final year, I do not think I would have been able to complete my studies because even with the last N38, 000 registration fees I paid, I knew what my parents went through to get it. For my younger ones that are still in secondary school now, we don’t even know what will happen to them.”
Similarly, Aminu Idris, a 200-level student, whose two other siblings are also studying in the institution, said:
“No one would like to drop out of school for the other. The increment will make many of us drop out of school, and the student loan that might be of help is till October, so there will be a massive drop-out. It is really sad.”
A guardian, Bilya Yaro Dawakin-Tofa, said he may have to start looking for alternatives for his sister, who is currently in the 200 level in BUK.
“I found this increment as unfortunate. I can’t imagine paying for her and, at the same time, taking care of the rest of the family with my meagre income. “
What happened in other places has reportedly created anxiety among students of the University of Jos (UNIJOS) in Plateau State.
A 300-level Economic student, identified as Victoria, said she saw information shared on Twitter indicating that fees in her department had increased from N45,000 to over N100,000.
A parent, Ocean Omekpa, said he hoped that the proposed increment would be mere speculation as things were already difficult.
Another student of Archaeology, Favour Achor, said she also heard that in her department, the fee had been hiked from N45,000 to N96,000 from the next session.
“No be say anything go change”: Nigerians react as UNIBEN, UNIMAID, other universities increase fees
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that Nigerians have taken to social media to voice their frustration about the recent increments in school fees in some federal universities in the country.
Some federal universities have hiked their students' tuition fees by more than 100% in the last 12 months.
Loan Act: Students to pay up to 220k as Bayero University Kano (BUK) announces increase in tuition fees
In a similar story, Legit.ng reported that Bayero University Kano (BUK) had announced an increment in tuition fees for undergraduate and postgraduate students of the school.
This was disclosed in a special bulletin signed by the acting Registrar of the school, Amina Umar Abdullahi.
Parents react as University of Ibadan increases acceptance Fee
The increment in the acceptance fee for newly-admitted students into the University of Ibadan (UI) in Oyo state by the school management has generated numerous reactions.
Parents have complained bitterly about the increment as they see no justification for such a decision.
Source: Legit.ng
