WUKARI, Nigeria — The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has condemned the management of the Federal University Wukari in Taraba State over a directive barring students with unpaid school fees from writing examinations, describing the policy as “anti-student” and “cruelty in its purest form.”
In a statement signed on Thursday by its National President, Comrade Babatunde Akinteye, the student body condemned the university’s decision directing students unable to pay tuition to defer their semester or academic session. According to NANS, the university management warned that failure to either pay fees or formally secure approval for deferment would result in the forfeiture of both the semester and the entire academic session.
The management also stated that students who defer without approval or absent themselves without approved deferment would be barred from registering for the next academic session.
NANS said the policy is “insensitive, anti-student, and contrary to the ideals of accessible and inclusive education,” and accused the Vice-Chancellor of frustrating students at a time when the Federal Government’s NELFUND initiative was designed to address financial challenges.
“At a time when the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has introduced the NELFUND initiative to make education accessible to ordinary Nigerians… it is disheartening that the Vice-Chancellor of Federal University Wukari is the very one frustrating students and keeping them out of school,” the statement read.
The association said it is “on record that many of these students have already applied for NELFUND,” and argued that the management will receive the tuition fees “as soon as NELFUND disburses the funds.” NANS described it as “inhumane” to deny students the opportunity to write examinations despite that assurance.
NANS also cited reports that over 5,000 students have been affected by the decision. It noted that it was only after “sustained pressure from the leadership of NANS” that many institutions began processing refunds for students who paid fees before NELFUND disbursements.
The apex student body demanded that the Vice-Chancellor “immediately reverse this decision, and ensure that all affected students are allowed to register and participate in their examinations.”
“Let it be unequivocally stated that there is no circumstance under which the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) will fold its arms and watch over 5,000 students be denied the opportunity to sit for their examinations on account of late registration, despite having secured funding for their tuition through NELFUND,” NANS said.
The association warned that if the affected students are not allowed to complete registration and sit for exams, “then the examinations should not proceed for anyone.”
NANS further threatened to “relocate its National Secretariat to the Federal University Wukari to resist the anti-student policies that the Vice-Chancellor continues to champion until justice is done and the rights of the affected students are restored.”
The student body said it “shall continue to resist every policy and action that is detrimental to the interests and welfare of Nigerian students.”
