200% Fees Hike Will Lead to Students Drop Out, Says NAAT

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) has expressed worry that the increase in fees and charges now being imposed by universities authorities in the country may force many students to drop out of school.

Regarding the education loan introduced by the federal government, the association said the conditions attached to assessing the loans were too stringent that it may be impossible for a student to access.

In in a communiqué issued at the end of its 52nd National Executive Council Meeting held last Wednesday, at Allko Dangote University of Science. and Technology, Wudil in Kano state, NAAT urged the federal government to urgently review the loan conditions in order to make it more accessible to the concerned students.

The communiqué signed by the President of the NAAT, Ibeji Nwokoma said that government should also consider giving grant especially for indigent ones as a viable alternative to students’ loan.

NAAT said: ” While the idea behind the Student Loan to pursue their Education is not a bad one. But we are concerned that condition attached to assessing the loan are too stringent such that it may be impossible for a student to access.

“Therefore, we call for an urgent review of the conditions in order to make it accessible to the concerned students.

Rather than loan. NAAT is strongly of the opinion that government should also consider giving grant especially for indigent ones as a viable alternative to students’ loan”.

On increment in school fees and charges in tertiary institutions, NAAT said its members were worried by the development regarding the increase in fees and charges in our federal institutions particularly Universities.

 It stated that the development may compel, “many of our students to drop out of school due to the current economic hardship facing parents and lack of adequate resources to meet up with economic demands.

“We are aware that over 200 per cent increase in fees and charges are now being imposed by university authorities. NAAT therefore appeal to government to consider the plight of the poor and rescind the decision by returning to status quo until the loan issue is properly addressed.”

NAAT further expressed concern over the recent approval of Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards  (CCMAS)

by the National Universities Commission (NUC).

According to NAAT, CCMAS was a template for the management/operation of the Nigerian university Academic System.

However, the association said it has observed obvious errors of omission and commission as contained in the CCMAS document under review,

It expressed dismay that the role and place of academic technologists in the university system in Nigeria was not given any consideration in the document as one of the critical stakeholders in the University system.

It also alleged that the CCMAS document under review was prepared and circulated without any input from members of NAAT, who are critical stake holders in the laboratories/workshops/studios in universities.