The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has criticized the Nigerian presidency for remaining silent on the recent increase in tuition fees in public universities. NANS argues that the government has failed to protect the interests of students and has not implemented any policy to prevent further fee increases.
NANS president Sunday Asefon said that the silence of the presidency is “deafening” and “not acceptable.” Asefon calls on the government to intervene and prevent a further escalation of the situation.
The tuition fee increase is a result of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike, which has led to a backlog of courses and a need for universities to make up for lost time. However, NANS believes that the solution should not be passed on to students in the form of higher fees. They argue that the government should provide adequate funding to universities to cover the backlog and prevent further tuition hikes. NANS is also calling on the government to review and implement its policy on education financing.
The Minister of State for Education, Goodluck Opiah, has acknowledged the challenges facing the education sector and promised that the government is working on a solution. However, NANS argues that the government’s response has been too slow and that action is needed to prevent further fee hikes. NANS is threatening mass action, including demonstrations and protests, if the government does not take immediate steps to resolve the situation.
