Reps Call for Suspension of School Fee Hikes Amid Concerns Over Access to Education

The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government to halt recent increases in school fees at public tertiary institutions, cautioning that such hikes could jeopardize the objectives of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).

In a motion sponsored by Hon. Ifeoluwa Ehindero, lawmakers expressed alarm over fee increases exceeding 100% at some universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.

They pointed out that these changes occurred without adequate consultation or consideration of the economic struggles faced by Nigerian families.

The motion emphasized that education is a cornerstone of national development, as enshrined in Section 18 of the 1999 Constitution.

This section mandates the government to ensure equal educational opportunities at all levels.

Lawmakers highlighted that NELFUND was created to provide interest-free loans to financially needy students, enabling them to pursue higher education without financial barriers.

However, arbitrary fee hikes threaten the sustainability and effectiveness of this loan scheme, which is based on existing tuition benchmarks.

The House warned that unchecked increases could lead to disparities in education loan allocations, further disadvantage low-income students, and result in higher dropout rates.

Such developments could also lead to unrest on campuses and erode public trust in the government’s commitment to affordable education.

To address these pressing issues, the House called for increased financial support to public tertiary institutions to minimize their reliance on internally generated revenue from student fees.

The Federal Ministry of Education and the National Universities Commission were also urged to engage with public institutions to suspend the fee increases and conduct a thorough review of tuition structures in light of current economic realities.

The committee’s investigations aim to determine the justification for the recent fee adjustments and ensure that rising costs do not undermine access to higher education, particularly for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

This proposed intervention seeks to protect educational access and uphold the goals of NELFUND, ensuring that financial constraints do not obstruct students’ pursuit of higher education.