From Victor Osula, Abuja
Federal Universities and Unity schools which have been increasing tuition fees in the face of increasing hardship in the country have been asked to stop forthwith.
The House of Representatives handed down the directive on Tuesday.
Apart from asking the universities and Unity schools to suspend the implementation of the recent increase in tuition fees, the lawmakers also directed the Federal Ministry of Education to immediately reverse the recent hike in school fees in Federal Government Colleges, also known as Unity secondary schools.
Rep Aliyu Sani Madaki, Dala federal Constituency in Kano state and Kama Nkemkanma, Ohaozara/Onicha/ Ivo Federal Constituency in Ebonyi state, in two separate motions, respectively canvased the need to suspend the Implementation of an Increase in tuition fees by federal universities and the need to reverse the recent hike of school fees in Unity Secondary Schools in Nigeria.
Madaki noted that because of poor funding of tertiary education and rising inflation, federal universities including Bayero University, Kano; the University of Nigeria, Nsukka; the University of Uyo; University of Maiduguri; Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike; and Federal University, Dutse, among others, increased tuition fee from 100 percent to 200 percent while hostel fees were increased from 50 percent to 100 per cent.
Presenting the motion on the increase in fees for unity schools, Nkemkanma said unity schools were established to promote national unity and provide quality, as well as affordable education to students from different parts, regardless of their socio-economic background.
The House resolved that the Federal Government take immediate steps to adequately fund the education sector by increasing budgetary provisions to ensure that Nigerian students have access to quality and affordable basic and senior secondary education.
It also resolved to investigate the fee hike by Federal Universities and Federal Government Colleges across the country.
