The Niger State House of Assembly has directed the management of Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai (IBBUL) to review downward the recently increased students’ tuition fees.
Speaker of the House, Mr Abdullahi Bawa, gave the directives during an interface with the management of the university and Students Union Government (SUG) of the university in Minna on Thursday.
The House directed the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Ahmed Matane, and the University Governing Council to make announcement on Friday, on the downward review of the school fees.
“We have listened and looked at the issues from both sides and we have decided that IBB university must continue to survive as an institution.
“Given the peculiarity of the state, we must also look at the issues raised by the students, we know the country is facing financial crisis and parents should not be overburden in order to make the institution survive,” he said.
Bawa directed the management of the institution to rectify issues of students who had already paid their fees before the downward, especially the final year students.
He noted that it was the responsibility of the management of the university and the state government to ensure that the university survives.
The speaker said that government had done a lot in the areas of provision of infrastructure, accreditation and other social amenities in the institution and called on both parties to imbibe the spirit of sacrifice.
According to him, the students of the institution must understand that government alone cannot fund education 100 per cent.
Responding, Miss Sumayyah Mohammed, Vice President, Students Government Union of IBBUL, appreciated the intervention of the lawmakers in ensuring that the issue was resolved amicably.
She expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the meeting and urged the state government and the management of the university to keep to the resolution of the meeting.
Fees for returning Students (indigene) were reduced from N67,925 to N50,000, and new Students (indigenes) from N129,675 to N95,000.
Non-indigene Students (returning) reduced from N117,325 to N100,000, new Students (non-indigene) from N201,210 to N170,000.
New foreign Students reduced from N329,625 to N250,000 while returning foreign Students would pay N200,000 instead of N266,760.
