By FUNMILAYO ADEYEMI

The Federal Ministry of Education said that the new school fees regime for unity colleges was reviewed by the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

This is contained in some documents obtained from the Federal Ministry of Education in Abuja on Sunday.

The documents revealed that the new school fees regime was approved by the immediate past Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu under President Muhammadu Buhari.

A source from the ministry who preferred anonymity told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday that the fees was reviewed across board and not only for JSS 1 students

The source said that uniform was added because of adulterated uniforms procured by parents for their children.

He said this was done to ensure uniformity in dressing.

He said that tuition fees in government unity colleges were free but students were meant to pay for other things like textbooks, uniform and feeding for boarding students.

“The news trending now about hike in school fees was reviewed by the last administration.

“If you check the date on the circular, it was before President Bola Tinubu assumed office and we released it in May to sensitise parents.

“So, the increase is insignificant as projected in the media. True be told, we don’t charge school fees. Which school will you put your child and feed him or her for three months with N30,000.

“The overheads in the school system is very poor. They just released money for April two weeks ago. So, it is the money that students pay that is used to augment some things in the school,” he said.

NAN recalls that in 2020, the Federal Government charged N15,000 as boarding fee for new students, bringing the total fee to N50,500.

It reviewed the boarding fee to N30,000 in May, thereby bringing the total fee to N100,000.

However, for returning students, the federal government charged N48,500 as total fee in 2020 as against N47,000 in 2023 for boarding students. (NAN)

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