We’re Worried By This Increase In University School Fees –NAAT

The National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) has expressed worry over increase in university school fees and indeed in other tertiary Institutions.

The association expressed this worry, in a statement it issued today in Abuja.

Signed by its president, Mr Ibeji Nwokoma, the association said: “This development may compel many of our students to drop out of school, occasioned by the current economic hardship facing parents and lack of adequate resources to meet up with economic demands.

“We are aware that over 200 per cent increase in fees and charges are now being imposed by Universities Authorities.

“NAAT therefore appeal to Government to consider the plight of the poor and rescind the decision by returning to status quo until the loan issue is properly addressed ” he said.

The association spoke just after concluding its 52nd National Executive Council (NEC) at the Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology, Wudil Kano State.

The said meeting enabled it to overview and review certain developments in the nation’s education sector, including the recent introduction of the Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS) by the National Universities Commission (NUC).

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NAAT also expressed its discomfort with the introduction, submitting that the current CCMAS document, contained obvious errors.

“For example on page 70 under Engineering and Technology which is similar for all other disciplines.

“The role/place of Academic Technologists in the University System in Nigeria was not given any consideration in the document as one of the critical stakeholders in the University System,”he said.

Arguing that the said document was prepared and circulated without input from NAAT members, he added:

“Technologists’ jobs were assigned to Academics support personnel, who are alien to the University system, as if to add salt to injury, this non existing staff are also being recommended no be engaged as temporary staff according to the CCMAS document under review (pages 70-. 117).

“This is an aberration, capable of destroying the values of any Academic program in the area of laboratory, workshop, studio or research farm practices.

“The document is also silent on the minimum number of Academic Technologists to man Laboratory, Workshop, Studio or Research farm for effective and efficient running of an Academic program.

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“It was also noted that, contrary to the existing provision of minimum office space for Academic Technologists in the NUC document, no provision was made under the draft CCMAS among others.

Aside increase in university school fees, NAAT also complained at the the Federal Government’s dissolution of  the Governing Councils of all Federal Government owned institutions of Higher Learning.

It said this would likely cripple activities of the country’s Tertiary institutions, including in the areas of promotion, motivation, welfare, contracts and project documentation as well as Laboratory facilities for practical and research.

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“NAAT is of the view that the action contravened the act that established Federal Institutions and does not conform to the miscellaneous Act of 2003 as amended which provides a statutory tenure of Governing Council of Tertiary Institutions and so cannot be dissolved at will like other Boards.

“Therefore, we urge the government to reinstate them immediately so as not to create vacuum in the management of Nigerian tertiary Institution”, he said.