In response to the recent surge in fees at public universities across Nigeria, former Senator Shehu Sani has kicked against what he labeled ‘commercialization of university education.’
Sani, utilizing his verified X handle on Wednesday, criticized the move as detrimental to the development of a nation like Nigeria.
Sani emphasized the potential dangers of commercializing public universities, particularly highlighting the adverse impact on the future of the youth and the nation at large.
The former Kaduna Central Senator warns that escalating tuition fees could disenfranchise the children of the less privileged, pushing them out of the educational system.
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Sani urged those who benefited from free education in the past to champion the cause and ensure that the younger generation enjoys the same privilege.
He contends that jeopardizing affordable education could hinder the nation’s progress and exacerbate educational disparities.
His words: “As a developing country, commercialising public university education is a dangerous experiment with the future of our young ones and that of the country. We are at the verge of pushing the children of the poor out of school. The generation that ‘got’ free education should ‘give’ free education.”
There have been reports indicating that certain universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education have raised their tuition fees by approximately 200 percent.
As an illustration, the Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED) in Ijagun, Ogun State, has raised its tuition from N65,000 to N240,000.