Kaduna Gov Slashes School Fees in State-owned Tertiary Institutions

John Shiklam in Kaduna

Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, has announced the reduction of school fees in state-owned tertiary institutions.

The former administration of ex-Governor Nasir El-Rufai had increased school fees in state tertiary institutions amid public outcry.

Addressing a press conference on Monday at the Givernment House, Kaduna, Governor Sani said the downward review of the school fees was in fulfilment of his electioneering.

He added that the reduction is in response to public outcry on the current fees being charged.

He said: “In response to the public outcry over the current fees being charged by tertiary institutions in Kaduna State and its effect on school enrolment and retention, I directed heads of tertiary institutions in conjunction with the Ministry of Education to obtain relevant information on the extant fees regime in state-owned tertiary institutions.

“At the end of their assignment, they made the following observations and recommendations:

“That the extant fees regime in the state-owned tertiary institutions is burdensome and has led to a significant decline in student enrolments.

“That the extant fees has made many students to either abandon the pursuit of tertiary education or moved to alternative institutions.

“That to reverse the trend mentioned, it is imperative that a competitive fees model should be adopted in our tertiary institutions.

“That the competitive fees model responds to current realities and promotes access to quality education.”

According to the governor, “As a caring and responsible government, we have accepted the recommendations and accordingly reviewed the fees downwards as follows:

“Kaduna State University (KASU) – current fee: N150,000, reduced to N105,000; Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, current fee: N100,000, reduced to N50,000; College of Education, Gidan Waya, N75,000, reduced to N37,500; Shehu Idris College of Health Sciences & Technology, Makarfi – HND courses
current fee, N100,000 reduced to N70,000, ND Courses, N75,000 slahed to N52,000; and Kaduna State College of Nursing, N100,000 reduced to N70,000.”

Sani said the downward review of the fees aligns with the commitment of his administration to offer palliatives to cushion the effect of the rising cost of living in the polity, especially in the wake of recent petroleum subsidy removal.

“The welfare of the people is our topmost priority. Our administration shall continue to take all measures necessary to ensure access to free and qualitative education for every child in Kaduna State from primary to secondary school.

“We will expand access to higher education; enhance teachers’ welfare and teaching standards; improve school infrastructure; build ICT competence in our students from basic education level; and intensify investments in technical & vocational education,” he said.