On Monday, President Bola Tinubu gave instructions to all federal institutions of higher learning to avoid arbitrary increases in various fees due and, whenever possible, postpone further increases to ease the burden on parents and students.
While the Academic Staff Union of Universities expressed reservations, the National Association of Nigerian Students welcomed the directive.
The President also gave his approval for buses to be provided to the student bodies of all universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education across the nation, according to a statement from his Special Adviser on Special Duties, Communications, and Strategy, Dele Alake.
The directive was issued just five days after the Presidency insisted that federal universities maintain their tuition-free status despite an increase in other fees at several universities across the country.
Alake claims that Tinubu’s intention to ensure that students can easily attend their schools in light of the rising transportation costs served as the impetus for this.
The Vice-President of NANS, Akinteye Afeez, responded by saying, “We are thrilled with the development. Now we have a chance to close any school that raises tuition once more or won’t return to the previous system.
ASUU President at the University of Lagos, Prof. Kayode Adebayo said the president’s decision to stop raising tuition fees does not address the issue facing universities.
He insisted that the FG did not provide funding for all of the nation’s universities and added that Tinubu was in charge of announcing the financial subsidies that would be provided to those institutions.
“I can’t say the announcement contains meaning because it not logical.
Universities don’t receive any funding from the federal government to operate the system, which is why there are mandatory fees.
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