BUK Students Complain Bitterly About Fees Hikes Under New VC - NewsRescue.com

July 10, 2014

By Ibrahim Olalekan

Vice Chancellor of the Bayero University, Kano, Professor Abubakar Adamu Rasheed, has been accused by the students of the institution of incessant increases in school fees.

It would be recalled that Professor Rasheed took over from Professor Attahiru Jega, in 2010, when the latter was appointed by President Goodluck Jonthan, as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as a replacement for Professor Maurice Iwu, who vacated the post on 28th April, 2010.

NewsRescue gathered that Professor Rasheed has been running what is akin to a Capitalist system in the institution thereby increasing fees indiscriminately yearly since his resumption as the Vice Chancellor of the ivory tower. Report also has it that the Vice Chancellor reduced the period of registration to two weeks which is billed to end on Sunday, the 13^th of July 2014 and a N5,000 fee has been imposed for late registration for students who won’t meet with the deadline of Friday, the 11^th of July. Many students are unable to register a has been noted from the shabby lines and low turn out; potentially worsening the crises.

Attempts by the Student Union Government (SUG) of the institution to reverse the decision of the school management was frustrated as the students leaders were warned against making moves that could go against the instruction of the Vice Chancellor.

A student of the institution who spoke with NewsRescue disclosed that due to the increament in school fees from N16,800 to N24,000, students have failed to make payments in banks and our source also confirmed to us that staff members working with banks within the University also record low turn-out of payment from students.

In her words, “Immediately Professor Rasheed assumed the position of Vice Chancellor of the University, he increased the money of returning students to N 16,800 while fresh students paid N22,000. In his second year as the Vice Chancellor, returning students were forced to pay N20,000 while fresh students paid N24,000. In his third year, returning students paid N24,000 and fresh students paid N27,000. If the Vice Chancellor is to remain for another four years, may be poor Nigerians may have to pay N 40,000 as school fees.”

NewsRescue gathered that before the exit of Professor Jega from the institution, the highest fee paid by students is N12,000.

Formerly, hostel fees used to be N5,000, with cleaning of toilets regularly and enough water tanks that supply water to students. But the current Vice Chancellor added N2,090 to the fees to make it N,7,090, yet the condition did not improve but deteriorate.

“Go to Bayero University and witness for yourself; water tanks are almost forgotten, the students rely on some few reservoirs which leads to water scarcity anytime students are on session.”, the source said.

Speaking with NewsRescue on sundry issues affecting the students of the institution, students mentioned that up till the moment of filing this report, results of students of the department of Library and Information Science and other graduating students have not yet released by the university management. There is no commensurate improvement in college standards and education delivery for the increments in fees.

Also, with the current happenings, many of the students will have no choice than to bag an extra year and will also be among the category of students forced to pay the N5,000 as late registration fee.

Speaking angrily on the conduct of the Vice Chancellor, our source revealed that Professor Rasheed is always at the forefront of increasing fees.

In her words: “Anytime the students complain, the Vice Chancellor will say Bayero University, Kano, is the least paid institution in Nigeria. But he forgets that Bayero University is in Kano-a state where N50 can buy you a plate of food; where N1,000 can buy you shirt, trouser and shoe; where N20 buys you pap (akamu); one of the states where N20 is accepted as drop fees in bus or keke napep. What will Professor Rasheed say about this? Would he like all these cost to increase just because a plate of rice is N300 in other states?”

Personalities that have contributed to the growth of the institution include wife of the Vice-President, Hajia Amina Sambo; the Yobe State Government is reported to have built the Al Hamsad Theater located within the university community; former Minister of Education, Professor Rukayya Ahmed Rufa’i; and the Emir of Kano, His Royal Highness, Sanusi Lamido Sanus.

With the support the present Vice Chancellor has gotten which his predecessors do not have, he has ignored to pay attention to the welfare of the students and with the students strength of about 35,000 the school enjoys, many will be forced to pay the late registration fee of N5,000 starting from Monday, 14^th of July.