The Vice Chancellor,
Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi,
Through
The Dean,
Students Affairs Division
Sir,
RESOLUTION OF STUDENTS UNION GOVERNMENT ON THE INCREMENT IN STUDENTS SERVICE CHARGES/REGISTRATION FEES
With reference to the major decisions from 81st meeting of university governing councils on resolution No. 5 that students charges will be as follows:
(A) 2015/2016 intake:- N44,250
(B) Returning: – N39,520
Which indicates more that 100% increment on the current registration fees of N22,500 for new intake and N14,500 for returning students. The Students Union Government hereby categorically rebukes, reject and resist any increment and could inexorably battle the increment which has the inclination to depopulate the university. The Students Union Government is justifiably opposing increment in students service charges for the following reasons:
1. There are no concrete achievements to display after the increasing students service charges in 2012/2013 academic session. The learning environment is still inadequate, access to modern facilities such as libraries, science laboratories, research and resource centers, computer laps, power supply, water supply, clinics, cafeteria, infrastructure and logistics are lacking. The students paid for the sport and sport facilities where not provided, which leads to our inability to attend NUGA and other sport competition. And even the internet service that was categorically stated as one of the major reasons for the 2012/2013 increment, students do not have access to it, only staffs are enjoying at the expenses of the students.
2. Vast majority of students studying in ATBU are jobless and self-supported, while the cost of living remains very high couple with hyperinflation, underpayment of civil servants with the minimum wages of N18,000.00 which is only less than half of new students charges, low household income and acute poverty due to Boko Haram insurgency in the north-east that has high level of illiteracy, high level of school drop-out and one of the poorest zone in the country that constitute about 80% of the students in ATBU.
3. Education is not a privilege, but a fundamental right according to Article 26 0f the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Chapter II, sub-section 18 of the Nigerian Constitution.
4. ATBU, Bauchi was never established for profiteering or profit maximization. To our knowledge ATBU, Bauchi is not a revenue generating entity, but a public institution solely established to contribute to national development by providing quality tertiary education in technology which was named after the illustrious son of Nigeria, the then prime minister, Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa.
We hereby implore the ATBU management not to forget the institutions’ past and the long way it has been travelling. For indeed, the greatness of ATBU is neither in it is architectural ingenuity nor in the exquisite magnificence of it is major edifices, but lies rather in the longtime tradition and ideology which the institution has continued to hold onto in the past 35 years of it is existence. Due to it is affordability, the institutions has been able to turn the lives of many families around by making advanced education accessible to brilliant children from poor homes. Many of them are now their families’ bread winners due to ATBU’s students’ charges that come with human face. This is the greatness of ATBU that people keep talking about.
Finally, the fact that this vicious increment will deny poor people access to education which also has the tendency of disfranchising the populace from acquiring knowledge, increasing the rate of violence/societal vices in the society and disrupting academic exercise in the university of brilliant poor students. We call on the university management to reverse the increment for the wellbeing of our peaceful university.
We hope our request will be given due consideration and the increment will be reverse with immediate effect.
Signed:
Comrade Shettima Umar
For:
Students Union Government
Caretaker Committee
Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi
CC:
The President, Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The Speaker, Federal House of Representative.
The Executive Governor Bauchi State.
The Chairman Governing Councils ATBU, Bauchi.
The Senators Representing North-East.
The Director State Security Service.
The Commissioner of Police Bauchi State.
The Permanent Secretary FederalMinistry of Education.
The Permanent Secretary Bauchi State Ministry of Education.
His Royal Highness Emir of Bauchi.
National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).
Educational Rights Campaign (ERC).
ASUU.
SSANU.
NASU.
NAAT.
All Media Organization.
