Forum raises concern over hike in tuition fees in UNIMAID

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BY FATI MUSA MARTE, JANUARY 10, 2023 | 01:52 PM


Borno Emirate Concerned Citizens Forum, a forum which derives membership from various stakeholders in Borno, has called on University of Maiduguri to reconsider its recent hike in school fees.

The university earlier this month issued a circular and schedule of payment, in which it announced an increment of tuition fees.

The increment appears to be a fallout of the eight-month-old strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of the Universities, which was, among other things, to demand for the upgrade of the welfare of lecturers and infrastructure in public universities across the country.

The governing council of the University of Maiduguri said the increase in the fees was necessitated by the high cost of teaching and learning materials caused by inflation.

The over two-fold increment, and some cases even more, have caused lamentations and resentment among many, students and parents alike

BECCF on Monday described the increment in a statement by Hassan Zannah Boguma, its chairman, as inconsiderate, similarly citing economic situation in the country.

He called on the governing council of the university to look into the matter once again because it may discourage young people especially from poor families from going to the university.

'As we are all aware, the Federal Government of Nigeria has shown a reluctant attitude towards the funding of (u)niversity (e)ducation and other related tertiary institutions.

'This has created a vacuum that might lead many youths of tertiary-level age not to gain access to (u)niversity (e)ducation. Perhaps the plight and protection of a common man appear to be dampened by some unpatriotic,' the chairman said.

He explained that the forum is aware of the unrelenting efforts of ASUU to make successive governments fund the system to improve staff welfare, facilities and ultimately the quality of learning.

He equally expressed his concern for ASUU in their effort to ensure that the children of the common man can afford a better university education.

'We are not unaware of the fact that the Union has sacrificed enough and is still willing on behalf of the common man to persuade the authorities to revitalize the (u)niversity system.

'The (u)niversity (d)ons have paid the supreme price by enduring (for) over eight months without salary, simply to make the FG pay more attention to and invest in (u)niversity (e)ducation,' he explained.

He equally pleaded with the National Association of Nigerian Students not to take law into their hands.

'The forum appeals to the students to stay calm and shun any form of violent protests while reacting to the hike in school fees.

'The forum believed that the NANS UNIMAID is law-abiding and is fully aware of the security challenges in the state.’


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