…Says No Going Back On Reversal, Issues Ultimatum
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has lambasted the management of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, over what it described as an outrageous hike in tuition fees, calling for its immediate reversal and threatening mass protest.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by the NANS Joint Campus Committee (JCC), Ekiti Axis, and made available to journalists in Ado-Ekiti, the association urged students of the institution to disregard the increase and suspend further payment pending compliance by the management.
The statement was jointly signed by its Chairman, Comrade Yekeen Toheeb, General Secretary, Comrade Olumorin Folafoluwa, and Public Relations Officer, Comrade Ekundayo Goodluck.
NANS described the increase as “unacceptable and unjustifiable,” considering the prevailing economic realities confronting Nigerian students and their families, and expressed strong resentment over what it termed an insensitive action.
The association demanded an immediate and total reversal of the increased fees, insisting that no partial reduction, temporary adjustment or alternative arrangement would be accepted as a substitute for a complete restoration of the previous fee structure.
“We therefore give the management five working days ultimatum from the issuance of this statement to reverse the increased fees and restore the previous fee structure. Failure to comply will compel NANS JCC, Ekiti Axis, to mobilise students for lawful mass action and other legitimate forms of protest,” the statement read.
It added: “The management must take responsibility for the financial implications of its decision and ensure that students are not subjected to additional hardship.”
Justifying its position, NANS noted that the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, as a federal institution, was established to provide access to higher education at subsidised rates, adding that an astronomic increase of more than 15 per cent would place additional burden on students whose parents and guardians are already struggling with the high cost of living.
The students’ body stressed that education remains a leveller between the rich and the poor, warning that taking higher education beyond the reach of the poor could spell doom for the country’s future.
NANS also expressed concern over the plight of students who registered under the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) scheme based on the previous fee structure, noting that increasing fees midway after approvals had been secured based on old charges could disrupt disbursement and defeat the intention behind the scheme.
“Of particular concern is the situation of students who registered under the NELFUND scheme based on the previous fee structure. These students made their financial plans and commenced their applications on the basis of the fees then in effect. Increasing the fees after their registration exposes them to additional financial obligations they may be unable to meet,” the association said.
It further faulted the management for allegedly implementing the increase without adequate consultation with the Students’ Union leadership, stressing that students as direct beneficiaries and the most affected party should not be disregarded in decisions determining their continued stay in school.
“NELFUND must not become a justification for imposing unexpected financial obligations on students, nor should the burden of institutional financing be shifted disproportionately onto students and their struggling families,” NANS added.
Pending the reversal, NANS urged students to remain united, disciplined and resolute, warning that any attempt to intimidate or victimise students for complying with its directive would attract an appropriate response from the student movement.
It also called on the Federal Government, the Federal Ministry of Education and the management of NELFUND to intervene and ensure that policies intended to support students are not undermined by fee hikes.
“Our position is clear and final: the increased school fees must be reversed. The financial circumstances of students must not be disregarded, and access to education must not be compromised by an unjustifiable increase in fees,” the statement concluded.
