ASUU Rejects Planned Fees Increase

The Kano State University of Science and Technology chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities has rejected plan by the university to raise registration fees for undergraduate students.

ASUU in a statement jointly signed by its branch Chairman and Secretary, Abdulkadir Muhammad and Kashmir Ibn Yakubu, said the increase was ill timed and unacceptable.

The statement, issued to newsmen in Kano on Friday, noted that the institution plans to raise the fees for indigenes from N22,000 to N50,800, and N45,500 to N86,000 for non-indigenes.

The statement said: “The emergency Congress of our union held on Thursday, March 9, 2017 rejected the planned hike in fees based on a number of reasons:

“The proposed hike is ill-timed in view of the current economic recession the country is facing.

“It also negates one of the cardinal objectives of establishing the university, which is to avail indigent students’ access education.”

The statement added that the decision also contravened Article 1 of the Kampala Declaration on Fundamental Human Rights and Freedom, which said every person has the right to education and participation in intellectual activity.

It said: “It is also in contravention of the Lima Declaration which states that every person has the right to education, and states should make available an adequate proportion of its national income to ensure practice and the full realisation of the right to education.”

According to the union, it is the responsibility of Kano state government to fully fund the university.

The union further accused the university, of not following due procedures and guidelines with regard to the fees increment.

It therefore called on the state government, civil societies, parents and the public to call the authorities of the university to order, to avert breakdown of industrial peace.