The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has declared a total war against arbitrary increases in tuition fees and charges by tertiary institutions in the country.
President of NANS, Comrade Lucky Emonefe, speaking while delivering his inaugural speech shortly after he was sworn-in at a ceremony held at International Conference Centre (ICC), on Thursday in Abuja, vowed that henceforth any such increments of fees payable by students would be met with stiff resistance.
Emonefe also asked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration to quickly tackle the twin challenges of economic crisis and insecurity threatening the foundation of the nation. He said Nigerians are in pain and anguish over hardships and unbearable cost of living in the country.
According to him, the problem of insecurity, specifically kidnappings, has deeply affected the Nigerian society, noting that people could no longer go to their farms or travel on the roads safely. He urged the government to find ways to protect educational institutions and the communities around them.
The NANS president insisted that education which is the right of every Nigerian and must not be taken out of the reach of the poor by introducing high fees in the face of the current economic realities confronting the nation.
Emonefe added that it was essential for authorities to consider present realities before making drastic decisions which would adversely affect the lives of students and their families.
He said: “We are deeply concerned about increases in school fees by many tertiary institutions across Nigeria. Therefore, NANS declares a total war against these fee hikes.
“Henceforth, these practices will no longer be tolerated. Nigerian students should prepare for this collective struggle.
“The practice of dismantling democratically elected students’ unions and substituting them with caretakers is strongly condemned and will no longer be condoned.
“This organization under our watch will stand against institutions who are found in the act of victimization of students. Their time is up! Under my leadership, NANS will not tolerate campus militarization by 21st-century fascists. The autonomy of every SUG President remains sacrosanct.
“As the voice representing Nigerian students’ interests, we will speak out against any form of injustice or oppression unreservedly.
“We call on all individuals responsible for the education sector’s obligations fulfillment to deliver according to the expectations placed upon them.
“The problem of insecurity, specifically kidnapping, has deeply affected our society. We have consistently urged governments at all levels to take strong action against these threats, and we will continue to do so.
‘We can remember incidents like the Nasarawa crisis involving a lecturer and the kidnapping of school children in Ekiti State, which do not represent our national values.
“We will continue to speak out against these terrible acts until they are eliminated. Let us work together within our communities to ensure that this wave of insecurity disappears completely,” he said.
He said his new NANS administration would work with relevant stakeholders to equip students with practical skills and resources to earn a living and become employers themselves because education should contribute meaningfully towards societal development beyond acquiring knowledge alone.
“Recognizing entrepreneurship’s importance towards self-reliance while studying, we have partnered with Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), INTERNSIFY AFRICA – a global tech company among others – to provide training and empowerment opportunities,” he said.
