ASUU disagrees with Tinubu, says varsities must hike fees to survive

The University of Lagos chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities has disagreed with President Bola Tinubu’s mandate against a hike in tuition.

Chairman, ASUU, of the University of Lagos branch, Prof. Kayode Adebayo, made the assertion on Monday, at a media briefing.

Prof Adebayo said stopping of fee hike by the president was not the solution to the universities’ problem.

He maintained that universities across the country were not funded by FG, adding that Tinubu was supposed to announce the financial subventions that would be given to universities.

“I can’t say there is Eldorado in the announcement because it does not add up, what will be the fate of the universities; if you say they should not charge mandatory fees yet you didn’t plan to send any subventions for the running of the universities.

“The reason for the mandatory charges was that universities do not receive anything from the Federal Government to run the system.”

Read Also: Court validates CONUA, NAMDA, dismisses ASUU’s suit

Earlier on Monday, President Bola Tinubu imposed directives to all federal institutions of higher learning to avoid arbitrary increases in various fees due and, whenever possible, postpone additional increases to reduce the burden on parents and students.

The distribution of buses to the student bodies of all universities, polytechnics, and institutes of education across the nation was also approved by the President, according to a statement by his Special Adviser on Special Duties, Communications, and Strategy, Dele Alake.

The directive comes barely five days after the Presidency insisted that federal universities remain tuition-free, despite the hike in miscellaneous fees in several universities nationwide.

Alake said this was based on Tinubu’s “desire to see that students can access their campuses without much difficulty as a result of higher transportation costs.”

“In line with his promise to ensure no Nigerian student abandons his or her educational pursuits as a result of lack of money and economic circumstances of their parents, President Tinubu has also approved the removal of all restrictions on the students’ loan to make it available to any student or household that may desire it,” the statement read.

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