The National Universities Commission (NUC) has been admonished to halt the planned implementation of increase in tuition fees in universities across the country.
The House of Representatives gave the counsel following a motion by Hon. Aliyu Sani Madaki, lawmaker representing Dala Federal Constituency of Kano State on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP.
Madaki identified Bayero University, Kano; University of Nigeria, Nsukka; University of Uyo; University of Maiduguri; Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike; and Federal University, Dutse, among others, as universities that have increased their fees.
The lawmakers expressed concerned that the hike in fees by the universities was happening against the worsening poverty level in the country, inflation, high rate of unemployment, and the recent fuel price hike.
They feared that the increase could cause disruptions for a number of students who could not afford the fees and that while many of them would be forced to defer their studies, others could drop out entirely.
The lawmakers also noted that the hike might aggravate the already volatile situation in the country as students were already making threats which could lead to an uprising against the Federal Government, with grievous consequences for the country as a whole.
The House also asked the Federal Government to reverse the recent hike of school fees in Unity secondary schools.
Recall that parents and students of some universities have lamented the hike in school fees, saying the development could worsen their current economic pains and lead to mass students’ withdrawals.
Many universities, both federal and state-owned, have issued releases on upward adjustments of registration fees for courses being offered with some of the increment spiking as high as 300%.
Recent removal of fuel subsidy by President Bola Tinubu and the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) devaluation of naira, has compounded the economic woes for ordinary Nigerians.
