No Going Back on Increase in Fees, Kaduna Tells KASU Students

By John Shiklam

The Kaduna State Government has declared that the recent increase in tuition fees of the Kaduna State University (KASU) will not be reversed.

The state Deputy Governor, Dr. Hadiza Balarabe, stated this at a meeting with the representatives of the students with senior government officials at the Government House in Kaduna.

According to a Government House statement issued after the meeting, Balarabe said the increase, though painful but necessary, “it is the only way that the institution can stay afloat.

“We understand the pain; we are also pained but sometimes, some decisions are taken for the betterment of the generality of the people.”

She explained that the fees hike is to enable the university to be a top-ranking university, and “we want you to be proud that you went to one of the best schools.

“We want Kaduna State students to hold their heads high wherever they might be and be proud to represent the state.’’

Balarabe stated further that the state government was spending about N5 billion on the university as the N26,000 being paid by students was not enough to pay lecturers for three months.

Also speaking during the meeting, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Malam Balarabe Lawal, pointed out that university education in the country is collapsing because of inadequate funding.

According to him, “There are primary schools in the state that charge N100,000 as school fees. There are secondary schools that also charge as high as N500,000, and you expect university education to cost N27,000? It doesn’t make sense.”

The SSG further noted that: “For a long time, we have been deceiving ourselves. The earlier we wake up and come to term with the realization that we need to do something about university education in the state and in the country as a whole, the better.

“The standard of university degrees that are churned out in Nigeria is the lowest in the world.

“We send our children to Ghana, Uganda and Republic of Benin for education decause our system is collapsing and there is no funding.”

Earlier, the representatives of the students complained that the 500 percent increase in the tuition fees is on the high side, and requested that the increase should be reduced to 50 percent.

According to them, “We don’t want a total reversal, but a 50 percent increase would be ok. At the old rate of N27, 000, not many students can afford it.

The students had on May 26, 2021, staged a peaceful protest at the university campus, saying many of them cannot afford the new tuition fees.