Students of the Taraba State University, TSU, have concluded a plan to drag the school authority to court over a hike in tuition fees.
At the time of filing this report, Raye24reporters gathered that over 200 names and signatures of students willing to file a public complaint suit against the management of the institution over the sudden fee increment have been collected.
A 300-level student of the institution, Salisu Waziri, who on Thursday spoke to newsmen on behalf of the aggrieved group said students will by next week file a public complaint against the school management and the Taraba State government for increasing the school fees.
Describing the action of the school management as “unjust” he expressed sadness over the alleged failure of the school authority to consult the Students Union Government, SUG, before arriving at such a decision.
“Over 200 students have signed the suit form seeking the court to stop the management of Taraba State University from implementing the recent increase of school fees without justification, “he disclosed.
Waziri added: “We want the court to compel the Taraba State Government to pay the backlog of 10 months’ salaries owed to lecturers of the institution which the students believe is the reason for the sudden increase in the school fees.”
The increase in school fees was announced barely a day after the massive demonstration embarked on by the students in solidarity with their lecturers whose 10 months’ salaries and allowances are yet to be paid by the administration of Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku.
A circular signed by the confidential secretary to the registrar of the institution, Sebastian Anthony, showed the fee payable by indigene students in Social and Management Science has been increased from N44, 000 per session to N70, 000, while non-indigene students who used to pay N68,000 per session are to pay N90, 000.
The students argued that there is “no justification for the sharp increase. ”
Waziri urged the school management to desist from such acts and find permanent solutions to the myriads of problems bedevilling the school, including shortage of lecture halls, poor hostel accommodations, lack of water supply and lack of toilet facilities to mention but just a few.
The decision to hike fees without passing through due process, he said, would not be accepted by the students.
“We do not need a prophet to interpret the handwriting on the wall, we believe that the state government has failed in its responsibilities and is shifting it to the students to bear the pains by forcing the school management to increase the tuition fees.
“If the decision to increase the school fees is the outcome of the Council meeting held in December 2022, why is the management releasing the information after the students protested, and why will the school management make an increment without consulting the Students Union Government?” he stated.
