NANS REJECTS ADO POLY FEE HIKE, DEMANDS IMMEDIATE REVERSAL

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has rejected the reported increase in tuition and other charges at the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, demanding an immediate reversal of the decision.

The student body expressed concern that the increase would place additional financial pressure on students and their families at a time when rising living costs are making access to education increasingly difficult.

NANS argued that higher fees could prevent students from continuing their studies, particularly those from low-income households who already struggle to meet expenses such as accommodation, transportation, textbooks and feeding.

The association called on the institution’s management to reconsider the decision and engage students and other stakeholders before implementing changes to its fee structure. It maintained that policies affecting students’ welfare should be introduced through consultation and with adequate consideration for their financial circumstances.

The development comes amid wider concerns over the affordability of tertiary education in Nigeria, as institutions face rising operational costs while students contend with economic hardship.

NANS urged the Federal Government and relevant education authorities to strengthen funding for public tertiary institutions to reduce the financial burden on students. It also called for greater transparency in the management of institutional resources and clear explanations for any proposed increase in charges.

The association warned that failure to address students’ concerns could heighten tensions on campus and disrupt academic activities.

It maintained that students should not bear an unreasonable share of the financial challenges facing public institutions and insisted that access to education must remain a priority.

NANS said it would continue to engage relevant authorities over the matter while urging students to remain peaceful as efforts to resolve the dispute continue.