People of kaduna state appreciated Governor Uba Sani for announcing a new measure aimed at reducing the financial burden on students pursuing higher education by massively reviewing schools fees downwards.
As part of his government’s campaign promise, fees for state-owned higher institutions were significantly reduced, in a renewed effort to make education more accessible and affordable to a larger number of students.
Fees of Kaduna State University which initially stood at N150,000 has now been cut to N105,000.
Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic with the initial fee of N100,000 has now been cut down by 50% to N50,000.
College of Education, Gidan Waya has been slashed to N37,500, against the previous rate of N75,000 .
Other State-run higher institutions whose fees have been significantly reduced, include Shehu Idris College of Health Sciences & Technology Makarfi, whose HND Courses fees are now N70, 000 and National Diploma Courses are now N52,000 instead of N76,000.
The Kaduna State College of Nursing, which stood at N100,000 has now been slashed to N70,000.
With this move which comes as a relief to many families struggling to meet the high costs of tertiary education, Governor Uba Sani has explained that it was in acknowledgement of the importance of education in the development of a progressive society.”
A student in the Sociology Department of the Kaduna State University, Husna Nasir said of the downward review of the fees : “The governor’s decision to cut fees of higher institutions is a primary example of the government’s commitment to promoting democracy, social justice, and equality sending a message that the welfare of the people is the top priority of his administration.”
The Governor made the massive downward review of the price during a media parley in Kaduna on Monday, where he emphasized that it is the government’s responsibility to ensure that every citizen has access to quality education.
“During electioneering campaign and on assumption of office on May 29, 2023, we made a solemn commitment to the citizens of Kaduna State to run a people – centred, all-inclusive administration that shall leave no one or any part of Kaduna State behind.
“In response to the public outcry over the current fees being charged by tertiary institutions in Kaduna State and its effect on school enrolment and retention, I directed Heads of Tertiary Institutions in conjunction with the Ministry of Education to obtain relevant information on the extant fees regime in state-owned tertiary institutions” the Governor said.
This downward review of the extant fees regime, he said, aligns with the government’s commitment to offer palliatives to cushion the effect of general rise in the cost of living in the polity, especially in the wake of recent petroleum subsidy removal in Nigeria.
He said the welfare of the people remains this administration’s topmost priority and the Kaduna State Government “shall continue to take all measures necessary to ensure access to free and qualitative education for every child in Kaduna State from primary to secondary school; expand access to higher education; enhance Teachers’ Welfare and Teaching Standards: improve School Infrastructure; build ICT competence in our students from basic education level; and intensify investments”.