Photo credit: Legit ng
Last week, the dailies were awash with reports of the authorities of various Universities in Nigeria, allegedly planning to increase the school fees of their respective institutions. However, that same week, some of those universities were refuting the alleged plan.
As a kid, kite flying was one of our pastimes. Our parents were not short of old newspapers which was a major raw material for kites.
Quite unlike the children of these days whose parents read the news online. Apart from that, where is the money to be wasted on newspapers in these trying times.
After making the kites, we normally looked for open spaces to fly our kites. School fields were very useful for the hobby.
Some boys were expert kite fliers. Some didn’t know the trick.
Which brings us back to our universities. Increasing school fees at this recessed period would have been stoking the embers of students unrest.
Why?
What are the facilities being enjoyed by the students now?
Have we forgotten the protest by Oyo state students where they were told by the Constituted Authority that they were unruly? Have we forgotten the protest of Ogun state students where the students pointedly told the governor that he was yet to fulfill his campaign promises, at least, to the students.
Let us look at the financial capabilities of their parents. Many of the parents of the students are civil servants. Are civil servants not being shortchanged by the governments, especially state governments.
Some other students are children of.businessman. Is Nigeria a good place to do business. To do business in Nigeria, you have to be your own power supplier, water supplier, security, etc. At the end of the day, business is not easy in Nigeria.
To crown it all, there is.economic recession in Nigeria. And it is affecting every sector.
Sorry, it is except the ruling class.
So, if the universities increase their fees, it will be a very unpopular move. It will cause an endless students unrest.
However, I believe the universities could put their various departments and faculties to use in internal revenue generation. This has a number of advantages.
The students would have a hands on experience in entrepreneurship. The universities too will benefit because they must be satisfying one need or the other. They will also.be providing the much needed revenue.
Thank God, it was just a kite which did not fly!
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