The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has advocated for a reduction in school fees throughout the country’s tertiary institutions to mitigate the effects of the elimination of fuel subsidies on students.
Shedrack Anzaku, the North Central Zone Coordinator of NANS, stated this in Abuja on Thursday while interacting with journalists at the official declaration of Deniran Rioborue as a candidate for NANS National President.
Anzaku said, “What the association expects is school fees reduction and not increment because the rate of dropout is increasing.
“We frown on all forms of school fees increment at a time like this when there is increased hardship across the country.
“We find it hard to understand the increment because diesel is what schools use mostly and the price of diesel has reduced, so we expect reduction in all ramifications.”
Anzaku remembered that when he spoke with the President of the Students Union Government at Bida Polytechnic last week, students had not returned due to a fee increase.
He stated that despite the rector’s reduction in school tuition by N10,000, kids had not returned.
He stated that this prompted the NANS leadership to write to the National Universities Commission in an attempt to get tertiary institutions to cut school tuition.
He did, however, commend the federal government for enacting student loan legislation to alleviate the educational load on students.
“We also kick against hike in school fees on account of the students’ loan initiative because it is meant to assist students to get a proper education.
“We have written to the NUC to call on schools to reduce school fees else we will protest in large numbers.
“We are going on a campus tour to talk to vice-chancellors, rectors and provosts to reduce school fees,” he added.
