By RITA ILLIYA

The Niger state government has appealed to the management of the state-owned Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) University, Lapai, to reconsider and review downward the recently increased tuition fees for students.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the university recently announced an upward review of students tuition fees after it had been approved by the Senate and governing council of the university.

A statement by Alhaji Ahmed Matane, Secretary to the state Government (SSG), issued in Minna, on Friday appraised the new upward review of tuition fees for students of the university by the Governing Council of the University.

He noted that the increase in fees by the university was an effort to improve the standard of learning in the institution, through human capital and infrastructural development.

Matane added that the review was taken for the improvement of the students and the generality of the people of the state.

He, however, implored the governing council to listen to the voice of the people and other stakeholders, including the students’ union, to review the tuition fees downward.

The SSG urged the management to also allow for two instalmental payments of the fees, so as to reduce the financial burden on parents and guardians.

He said that the state government was committed to providing qualitative and affordable education to all and sundry, irrespective of ethnic, religious and socio-cultural backgrounds.

NAN reports that the university increased the fees for returning indigenous students from N50,000 to N67,925 while that of new indigenous students was increased from N95,000 to N129,675.

The returning non-indigenous students are to now pay N117,325 as against the previous N100,000, while that of the new non-indigenous students was jacked-up from N170,000 to N201,210. (NAN)

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