The Federal Government remains steadfast in its stance that no federal university is permitted to impose tuition fees across the nation.
Mr. David Adejo, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, reaffirmed this during a public hearing held by the House of Representatives’ ad hoc committee on student loans in Abuja on Tuesday.
Adejo expressed his disappointment over the recent escalation of fees by federal universities in the country.
“What they collect is charges to cover the cost of accommodation, ICT, and power, among others. It is the Governing Councils of the Universities that have the power to approve such charges for them.
“The only university that increased charges after the signing of the student loans act is the University of Lagos.
“They came to the Ministry with a proposal to increase their charges because all Governing Councils were dissolved and we gave them approval.
“Immediately that was done, there was a resolution from the House stopping the increase in fees and the President also gave a directive stopping any increase in fees and that is where it is, even though several others have brought their proposal,” he said.
Adejo clarified that the fees collected by the institutions were utilized to cover various services, including electricity bills. He refuted the notion that the enactment of the Students’ Loan Act was a primary cause of the increased university charges.
Adejo highlighted that, despite these charges, the universities were struggling to meet several financial obligations. He outlined that preparations had been finalized for the implementation of the student loans scheme during the 2023/2024 academic session.
Adejo mentioned that President Bola Tinubu had directed that all necessary arrangements be concluded regarding the framework for the scheme, ensuring its initiation in September.
The committee’s chairperson, Teseer Ugbor, indicated that the student loan initiative was part of the federal government’s efforts to alleviate the difficulties faced by Nigerians and enhance access to higher education for those interested.
Nonetheless, he expressed reservations regarding the fund disbursement process, repayment by beneficiaries, and the potential for certain students being unable to access the loan.
He called for a collaborative dialogue during the process of amending the law, to ensure that all Nigerian students desiring the loan could benefit from it.
