Plus Federal universities across the country have announced a more than 200 percent increase in enrollment and tuition rates for students, our correspondent’s analysis has revealed.
sunday punch reports that the announcement of the fee increase came shortly after the suspension of the strike by the Universities Academic Staff Union and calls from teachers and other stakeholders for better funding of the tertiary education system in Nigeria.
ASUU had announced the start of a strike in February. The strike, which ended in October, was one of the longest in the history of ASUU strikes since 1999.
Some of the issues raised by the union bordered on releasing revitalization funds for universities and increasing salaries and allowances for university professors.
The Nigerian Universities Senior Staff Association and its sister group, the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Allied Institutions, have also embarked on a strike over issues related to university funding and staff welfare.
The president’s regime, Maj-Gen Muhammadu Buhari (retired), presenting its scorecard, noted that it had shelled out more than N1tn for the tertiary education sector and had “no more money” to meet the union’s demands. .
During the strike, a former Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, had spoken in an interview with our correspondent about the plan for sustainable financing of universities, including fee increases, but ASUU opposed the proposal.
The first time ASUU opposed the tuition increase proposal was during the 2018 strike negotiation when the lead negotiator, representing the Federal Government, Wale Babalakin, was said to have proposed raising school fees to ensure the sustainability in the university system. , but ASUU had called for Babalakin’s removal from the negotiating panel.
Universities increase tuition
More federal universities have announced tuition rate hikes, sparking outrage among parents and students alike.
Our correspondent’s findings revealed that some universities announced an increase of more than 200 percent and also proposed the idea of paying in installments so as not to put pressure on parents who might find it difficult to pay all at once.
For example, Dutse Federal University announced a 200 percent increase in tuition fees, but also revealed discounts for the children of its workers.
The institution announced a 200 percent raise in a memo obtained exclusively by Sunday PUNCH. The memo also said that there would be a discount for the children of university professors and workers.
The memorandum, which was signed by the Assistant Secretary (Academics), Kamal Muhammed, on behalf of the vice chancellor of the institution, was issued on December 12, 2022.
The memo read in part: “This is to inform you that the Senate, at its 57th (extraordinary) meeting held on Thursday, November 10, 2022, considered and approved the following: 200 percent increase in the rate and component schedule for undergraduate students for the 2022/2023 academic session and other charges.
“Payment of the rate in two (2) installments of 60 percent and 40 percent semi-annually, respectively. A single payment for the hostel’s maintenance fee. Recommended discount in the payment of fees for staff members to be decided upon prior consultation at the general congress. The approved discount payment for surplus students will be decided by management.”
UNIMAID raises rates
In another memo made available to our correspondent by an ASUU member at the University of Maiduguri, the institution’s management explained that it increased the associated fees due to rising inflation in the country.
The memo, which was titled “Upward Revision of Registration Fees and Charges,” was published by the institution’s registrar’s office.
The memo, which also provided a breakdown of the new payments to be made, read in part: “Following the increased costs of teaching and learning materials, as well as laboratory consumables and reagents caused by market forces , the Governing Council of the university had at its 157th meeting held on Thursday, December 1, 2022, approved the revision of the registration charges for the graduate and undergraduate programs of the university as follows: New students Medicine – N252,500; new students Medical Laboratory and Nursing – N136,500; new students Anatomy- N162,500; new students Physiotherapy – N131,500; and new students Radiography – N133,500.”
Further analysis of the new fees published by the school also revealed that former students in the College of Basic and Medical Sciences would pay between N112,000 and N258,000.
The university also noted that foreign students would pay an additional $1,500 as fees.
FULafia registration N150,000
At the Federal University, Lafia, Nasarawa State, our correspondent’s findings revealed that the university had raised student registration fees up to N150,000 for some programmes.
This was revealed in a payment schedule obtained by our correspondent.
According to the schedule, Medical students will pay N150,000 as departmental registration fees; Nursing, Medical Laboratory Science and Radiography students are required to pay N100,000 while Anatomy and Physiology students will pay N50,000.
According to the memorandum, the registration fee does not include tuition fees that students must pay.
However, the university warned that students would not be charged more than the approved rates.
UniUyo sets rates
Data from the website of the University of Uyo, a prominent federal university located in Akwa Ibom state, revealed that both new and returning students would pay more than N100,000 against N50,000 currently paid by students. of the institution.
In the recently approved payment schedule obtained by your correspondent, it was highlighted that new Medical students would pay N105,750 while returning Medical students would pay N107,750.
In the College of Education, the institution noted that new and old students would pay N75,750 and N77,750, respectively.
Returning students to the Faculty of Social Sciences will pay N107,750 while new students will pay N105,750.
MOUA give reasons
At the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, the institution said it reviewed the fees students must pay due to the rising cost of providing services.
The increase was announced in a circular issued on December 20, 2022, which was addressed to all students of the institution.
The circular titled ‘MOUAU/REG/103/Vol.1’ read in part: “Due to the increasing costs of providing services to students at the university, management has revised the charges to be paid by students as follows;
“Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, N109,000; CAFST/CEET, N99,000; COLPAS/COLNAS/COED, N86,000; COLMAS/CASAP/CCSS/CAERSE/CNREM, N84,000; HUD Senior Year, N99,000.”
The circular also noted that new students were required to pay N60,000 as a development fee and N105,000 for other costs, while foreign students were required to pay $5,000.
The school, however, pointed out that the increase was made in consideration of the situation in the country.
The circular added: “It is pertinent to note that the list of charges released was quite considerate in view of the general state of affairs in the country.
“However, after consulting with the Executive of the Student Union Government, the charges were reduced as published in this document. The University administration wishes our new and returning students a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.”
Unilorin SUG Appeals
At the University of Ilorin, management is currently considering a fee increase. Although the new charges have not been made public, the institution’s Student Union Government, in a statement made available to our correspondent, called for calm.
The statement, which was signed by the union’s president, Oluwatobi Faji, read in part: “We are not ignorant of the uproar, complaints and tension generated by the recent increase in positions by the university leadership. Being a responsive union that we are, we have made sure to take home your grievances, dislikes and articulations regarding the increase.”
NANS Forms Committee
Meanwhile, the National Association of Nigerian Students has formed a committee on the recent university fee hike. This was revealed in an interview with our correspondent by the association’s South-West coordinator, Emmanuel Olatunji.
According to Olatunji, the association has also written to negotiate with the management of several universities about the recent increase.
