National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has called for reduction in school fees across tertiary institutions in the country to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal on students.
The student body equally warned that as laudable as the Students Loan Scheme being introduced by President Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s administration, it should not be a springboard for hike of tuition fees across tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
NANS Coordinator, North Central Zone, Shedrack Anzaku, said this in Abuja on Thursday while speaking with newsmen at the official declaration of Deniran Rioborue to run for the NANS Presidency during December convention of the Association.
He said the student body frowns at the development where a lot of public have decided to increase schools without considering the hardships and difficulties Nigerians are going through across the country.
Anzaku said: “What the Association expects is school fees reduction and not increment because the rate of dropout is increasing.
”We frown against all forms of school fees increment because at a time like this when there is numerous hardship across the country.
”We find it hard to understand the increment because in spite of the removal of subsidy, diesel is what schools use mostly and the price of diesel has reduced so we expect reduction in all ramification,” he said.
Anzaku recalled that when he was talking with the President, Students Union Government, Bida Polytechnic last week, students in that school had not resume due to hike in school fees.
He added that in spite of the fact that the rector reduced the school fees by N10,000, students were yet to resume.
He said that this led leadership of the student body to write to the National Universities Commission (NUC), to prevail on tertiary institutions to reduce school fees.
He, however, commended the Federal Government for introducing the student loan scheme to ease education burden on students, especially the indigent students.
”We also kick against hike in school fees on account of the students loan Act because the Act is meant to assist students to get proper education.
”We have written to NUC to call on schools to reduce school fees else we will protest in our large numbers.
“We are going on campus tour to talk to Vice Chancellors, Rectors and Provosts to reduce school fees,” he added.
Meanwhile, a presidential aspirant of NANS, Comrade Rioborue Jude Deniran, has called on the federal government to fully remove the age-long dichotomy between holders of Higher National Diploma and Bachelor of Science degree in public service in the country.
He also promised to regain the association’s position as voice of the voiceless, hope of the common man, if elected president in December 2023 Convention of NANS where new leadership of the Association are to be elected.
Deniran said his aspiration is borne out of the need to write a new progressive chapter for the association and uphold its core values.
The 27-year-old also promised to re-structure NANS for efficient administration and effective operations which will advance our course to build synergy among all arms
In his seven points agenda, Deniran said he will build the image and integrity of NANS and make it a true representative of the teeming Nigerian students by reactivating all the working relations with other key departments, agencies and unions in education/labour force.
He added; “The responsibility of our dear Association to students’ well-being on and off campuses remain sacrosanct and as such a rapid campus intervention to ensure uninterrupted and smooth academic Calendar for degree class, reinstatement of all politically victimized students and student leaders, reinstatement of democratically elected students union shall be prioritized as information shall he gathered through Expanded Executive Council while special committee(s) will be put in place to see to all matters of urgency in rapid, responsive and responsible manner.
“My administration shall champion the full implementation of HND, BSc certificate disparity Campaign for adequate funding of education particularly in adherence to UNESCO 26 per cent recommended budgetary allocation for education by Nigeria,” he said.
