The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has vowed not to agree with any federal government-owned university increasing its obligatory and other fees charged to the students without involving the students in such increments.
The National Vice President of NANS for External Relations, Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, and the Vice President for Inter-campus Affairs, Vanessa Egbeahie, made this known in separate interviews with the Nigerian Tribune.
According to them, although poor funding of universities by the federal government over the years is the underlying factor causing fee increments, each university must ensure that any increment is moderate, reasonable, and affordable.
For example, Akinteye emphasised the need for the management of each university to engage their students, especially at union levels and other critical stakeholders in the system, in discussions regarding the need for an increment and by what percentage.
They should also ensure that all parties agree to the adjustment before making announcements and implementing it.
He noted that the lack of such engagement is what was missing in some universities, such as the University of Lagos (UNILAG) Akoka earlier and now in Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, and the University of Jos, among a few others, where students are currently protesting fee hikes.
He added that if students in those institutions were properly involved by their school management, there would not have been a need for any protests.
Akinteye, however, declared that NANS leadership at both the national and zonal levels is monitoring the unfolding events surrounding fee increments across campuses and would not hesitate to join their colleagues in protesting any campus that hikes fees without students’ input.
According to him, any fee hike by any public university without students’ input, especially regarding the percentage increase, will not be accepted.
“And that is why school management must ensure they properly involve their students before arriving at any fee increment,” he insisted.
He noted that the management of various institutions cited high inflation in the country as pushing up the cost of running their universities as the sole reason for their fee adjustments.
He suggested they should have increased fees by just 24.5 per cent of their old fees, considering the current inflation rate in the country.
“But then, we all know that the failure of the Federal Government to properly fund public schools that will guarantee quality learning at all levels is the sole cause of the fee hikes,” he concluded.
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