Students Disagree As Government Hikes Tuition Fees in Kaduna State From 24-26 Thousand to 150-500 Thousand Naira

Students of Kaduna State University have showed displeasure and noncompliance in the massive increase of their tuition fees by the State Government.

The Government of Kaduna State reportedly increased the school fee of the State owned tertiary institution ranging N150,000-N500,000, from an earlier N24,000-N26,000.

The students under their Students Union Government representatives while in a meeting with the institution’s Dean of Student Affairs, Dr. Terhimba Wuam, disagreed with the increment, saying it is outrageous and unreasonable for the government to take such actions, considering the economic state of the nation at the moment and the cold effect of covid-19 on the students.

Speaking on behalf of the students were Comrades Abdulrazak Shuaibu a medical student and former president of the student’s union and Adonalo Stephen, Secretary General, National Association of Kaduna State Students.

Abdulrazak Shuaibu was quoted by The Guardian as saying, that the tuition fees was increased from N26,000 to N150,000 for students in Faculty of Arts, Management and Social Sciences, while, the tuition fee for for Faculty of Medicine was increased from N24,000 to N300,000 for indigenes and N500,000 for non-indigenes.

He said, “Currently, most students find it difficult to pay the N26,000 fees with a few dropping out of school eventually while some female students had to resort to prostitution to be able to pay.

“This is because majority of us came from poor homes with our parents struggling to feed us and pay our school fees.

“Moreso, we are yet to recover from COVID-19 and the state government is increasing school fees. This is unfair and unreasonable,” he said.

He noted that although some of the students were enjoying the state government scholarship, the beneficiaries were less than 5,000.

“This also means that the government is giving us scholarship and collecting even more from us as tuition fee. We, therefore, reject the scholarship.”

The Vice Chancellor Academy, Prof. Abdullahi Ashafa, in response, said the increase was necessary due to unavailability of learning facilities in the institution, that the increment was to help provide for adequate learning facilities for the betterment of the students.

He acknowledged and applauded the mode of complaint used by the students to put out their grievances rather than conflict andd pleaded with them to continue and be law abiding.

Wisdom Peter