Kaduna to varsity students: No going back on increase in tuition fees

The Kaduna government says there is no going back on the recent increase in tuition fees at the state university.

The government had in April increased the tuition fees at Kaduna State University (KASU) from the range of N24,000 and N26,000 to N150,000.

The state had also raised the fees in polytechnics and colleges.

The move has been criticised in some quarters, with many faulting its implementation despite the situation of things in the country.

But Hadiza Balarabe, deputy governor of the state, has said the increase was necessary to sustain the varsity.

Balarabe said although the state government is not unaware of the attendant pains, the move is in the best interest of the institution.

“We understand the pain, we are also pained but sometimes, some decisions are taken for the betterment of the generality of the people,” she said on Wednesday while addressing students’ representatives.

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

Balarabe said the state government was spending about N5 billion on the university as the fee being paid by students was not enough to pay lecturers.

Balarabe Lawal, secretary to the state government (SSG), pointed out that university education in the country is collapsing because of inadequate funding.

“There are primary schools in Kaduna state that charge N100,000. There are secondary schools that charge as high as N500,000. And you expect university education will cost N27,000? It doesn’t make sense,” he said.

“The standard of 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. Why? Because our system is collapsing. Why? Because there is no funding.”

On his part, Muhammad Abdullahi, the chief of staff, advised the students’ representatives to go back and discuss with their colleagues and make them see reasons for the tuition fee hike.

Reacting, the students complained that the 500% increase is too high and requested that it should be reduced to 50%.