Northern groups demand immediate downward review of hiked universities’ tuition
Northern groups under the auspices of Students Wing of Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG-SW), on Thursday demanded the immediate downward review of hiked tuition across all universities in northern Nigeria.
The groups made the demand during a peaceful demonstration to the Palace of Emir of Gombe, Alhaji Abubakar Shehu-Abubakar III.
Mr Ahmad Abdulgafar, the Chairman, Action Committee Against Tuition Hike in Public Universities, SW-CNG while addressing newsmen during the exercise warned that the hike if not reviewed downward would result to unprecedented dropout of students from universities.
Abdulgafar said their action was in line with their national body’s resolution to call attention to the dire consequences of tuition hike on the educational development of northern Nigeria.
He stated that the CNG-SW was extremely worried that some “insensitive and indifferent” authorities of northern Nigerian universities had already announced incredible increments in their tuition.
“Those in this category are: University of Maiduguri in the northeast MBBS Students were paying N49,950, an increment of over 487% was made as they are to pay N243,000;
“Federal University Dutse in the Northwest Computer sciences Students were paying N61,000 but now they are to pay N181,000 with over 296% increment;
“Federal University Lafia in the North-Central experienced a hike in departmental charges with the MBBS students are to pay close to N200,000 aside tuition fee and others.”
According to them, North would feel the pain of the hike in tuition more than other parts of the country because of the current challenges and limitations faced by the region around security and unforgettable poverty.
“We are convinced therefore that this hike and other potentially damaging policies are part of a calculated design to continuously weaken the North educationally and pauperise it economically.”
The group, therefore, urged all stakeholders in the north as well as elite to speak up against what they perceived as an attempt to push more students of universities out of school and further deny northern youths the opportunity to get educated towards the improvement of their wellbeing and welfare .
The groups through the peaceful demonstration served the Federal Government a notice that if their call was not given the due attention, the Northern youths would mobilise massively to protest in all cities in the region until their request was given the needed action
