Don’t Disrupt Academic Session Over Tuition Hike, FG Urges Students

Kazeem Badmus

The Federal Government has appealed to students, parents, and lecturers in institutions of higher learning in Nigeria to shun acts capable of disrupting the academic session as a result of tuition hikes by some institutions.

Minister of State for Education, Honourable Tanko Yusuf Sununu, made the appeal during the visit of the leadership of the Congress of Nigerian University Academics (CONUA) to his office.

According to a statement by the Director of Press and Public Relations in the Ministry, Mr Ben Bem Goong, on Friday in Abuja, the Minister noted that his Ministry is having constructive dialogue and consultation with stakeholders over the welfare of students and staff and providing infrastructure in tertiary institutions.

Speaking earlier, the President of the Congress of University Academics, comrade Niyi Sunmonu, alerted the Minister of the likelihood of student unrest occasioned by the new increase in school fees, which he said has the potential to disrupt academic activities and the school calendar.

The union also appealed to the government to look into ways of improving the condition of service of academic and non-academic staff of universities, which he said has deteriorated due to the fuel subsidy removal.