Abuja, Nigeria – Naija students don raise dem voice like wetin we dey drink at palm wine joint, as school fees don bitter pass ogbono soup for many universities.
No be small wahala; as fees dey rise like prices for fuel after dem adjust am. Students wey suppose dey focus on their books, now na to dey hustle make dem fit pay dis school fees wey dey make dem dey cry.
Last week, wey students from different universities wey fit gather for better bobo protest. Dem carry placards wey read ‘Fees Too High’ and ‘Education No Be Business’ as dem dey chant for campus like una dey enjoy concert.
According to reports, some institutions don increase fees by as much as 100%, and the reason wey dem give na ‘economic factors’. (Economic factors, wetin dat one even mean? Na only dem know.)
One student wey dey study Sociology, Chika, talk say, “Dis increase go make many students drop out. We wey no get money, how we go take survive?” As dem dey reason the matter, Chika dey get as e go be. E fit make sense if dem fit manage di fees for dis economic situation where everybody dey feel am.
Meanwhile, some parents wey no get option na to dey borrow money from all dem ‘friends’ wey dem fit find. Some don even begin sell dem properties just to make sure say dem pikin fit continue dem education. E be like say school don turn to military operation, e sweet if you fit pay, everybody dey follow you dey shine for campus.
But no be only the students dey feel the heat. Academics dey complain say as dem dey try run the course syllabus, wetin don change for dem side na the number of student wey fit attend class. E no go make sense if the classes dey full, but dem no fit drop di fees. Where dem go see money if everybody dey drop out? E no go work like that o!
Government don hear di matter and dem don promise say dem go investigat e as dem justice dey come. But students no dey toga dem hopes too high. Them dey wonder if government dey hear dem or na like dem dey hear Nollywood drama wey no real.
People dey feel say education suppose be right for everybody, no be privilege. E no suppose be something wey pikin go fit only afford if dem get rich papa or mama. Na so we go dey look am, and make we see wetin go happen next. Since no be only palm wine we fit drink, we go still need better future, abi na wetin you dey think?
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