Students at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife, Osun State, have called on the Federal Government to reverse the recent hike in tuition fees. The Studentsโ Union, led by President Abbas Ojo and General Secretary Akinboni Sunday, released a statement addressing the issue.
Last week, the universityโs management announced changes to the tuition fees for the upcoming academic year.
The statement highlights the dire state of education funding in Nigeria, stating,
โEducation is the cornerstone of development and progress for any nation. Itโs disheartening that education is becoming a luxury only the affluent can afford.โ
The union also warned they might have to halt all campus activities if the authorities remain unresponsive.
The union has urged the Federal Government to increase the budget allocation for education and implement policies that remove barriers to education.
They also called for establishing scholarship and financial aid programmes to ease the financial burden on students and their families.
Editorial
The recent tuition fee hike at Obafemi Awolowo University is more than just a local issue; itโs a symptom of a broader crisis in education funding in Nigeria.
The Studentsโ Unionโs call for a reversal is not merely a demand but a plea for the government to recognize the importance of accessible education for all.
The unionโs statement paints a grim picture of Nigeriaโs education state. Low funding has limited access to quality education and increased student financial burdens.
Itโs high time the government took decisive steps to address these issues. Increasing the educational budget is a start, but itโs not enough.
There needs to be a comprehensive strategy that includes improving the quality of instruction, establishing financial aid programmes, and ensuring that schools are well-equipped.
The government must act swiftly to prevent a complete breakdown of the educational system. Failure to do so will not only affect the students but will have long-term repercussions on the countryโs development and progress.
Did You Know?
- Globally, there is a 9% increase in hourly earnings for every extra year of schooling.
- The COVID-19 pandemic led to the worst crisis in education of the last century, with education systems fully closed for an average of 141 days globally.
- The learning poverty indicator reveals that in low- and middle-income countries, 57% of children lived in learning poverty before the pandemic.
- This generation of children could lose a combined total of US$21 trillion in lifetime earnings due to the pandemicโs impact on education.
- At least a third of the worldโs schoolchildren could not access remote learning during school closures, exacerbating educational inequalities.
