THE Lagos State government hasruffled one of its citadel of learning ' The Lagos State University (LASU) with a reprehensible audacity when it suddenly jacked up its tuition fees by about 750 per cent without an iota of consideration for the children of the downtrodden, who incidentally form the largest quantum of the students in public institutions.THE state governor, Mr Raji Fashola (SAN), unfazed by the vehement public opinion against such debilitating fees, demonstrated a 'No Going Back' posture as shown by a directive from the university, mandating all new students to pay the new tuition fees to get registered.THIS kind of dictatorial disposition in a democratic era from a leader who rode to power on the crest of a popular mandate of the masses, represents a dangerous amnesia that has afflicted some of Nigeria's political helmsmen who truncate at will, the solemn covenant between them and the people during electioneering. This is sad indeed.THE argument canvassed by the governor to justify this outrageous fee-hike is unimpressive. According to newspaper reports, Fashola claimed to have taken the decision in full consideration of the current state of infrastructure and personnel in the university vis--vis what it should be. Therefore, considering the cost of proper funding, according to the governor, the tuition fees must be hiked as what accrues to the institution from all sources could not meet the needed funds.THE tuition fees, which initially stood at an average of N25,000, relying on sources, skyrocketed to N193,750 at the Arts and Education faculties for a session per student while Law students will part with N248,750 each; students of Social and Management Studies will each pay N223,750; Communication, Transport and Engineering courses will attract N238,750 per student. As for those interested in studying Medicine, the base 'price' per student is put at N348,750 for a session and these fees do not include the cost of accommodation, feeding, transportation, books, emergency health care and other exigencies.IN a country where over 70 per cent of the population is confirmed to live far below the poverty level by the World Bank statistics and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), this Lagos State government hike of its university tuition fees is wicked, unfeeling and scandalous. It will only further disequilibrate the educational imbalance between the children of the poor and the rich, thereby fanning the ember of social discontent and widespread upheaval.IT is important to say that even in the advanced countries where poverty has been relatively diminished, educational funding is still accorded a frontal priority because of its salient relevance in overall national development. It is a matter of irony therefore, that Nigeria, especially Lagos, which is still globally and statistically ranked as educationally disadvantaged could embrace a policy that will further draw it to the nadir of educational disaster.THE timely intervention of the Lagos State House of Assembly as evinced by its inquiry into the subject is quite salutary. It is, however, unfortunate that the governor, despite the civil approach of the House of Assembly, employed a jackboot tactics through the deployment of ArmouredPersonnel Carrier (APC) by the police to the university towards quelling a possible protest by students and their sympathisers. That Fashola, who is a civilian governor and pillar ofjurisprudence andadvocacy as Senior Advocate of Nigeria, could support the use of intimidation to advance a cause is to put it mildly very unfortunate.WE like to admonish the governor and his executive council that government funding of education in developing countries in view of their economic privation remains a social service which, of course, should be viewed as a proactive investment, intangible, yet very invaluable. Indeed, it is a strategic asset which cannot be quantified in terms of naira and kobo.IT isno surprise, therefore, that Ekiti, Oyo, Ogun and Osun state governments, realising the focal prominence of education in societal growth, immediately reversed the increases in the tuition fees of higher institutions in their respective states.WHILE advising the students and their supporters against the use of violence to press for their demands, as this could be hijacked by hoodlums and street urchins thereby jeopardising their intent, it is our hope that Fashola will toe the line of wisdom and rectitude by reversing this unpopular and outrageous tuition hike.THE governor, as a learned and exposed individual should know that the cost of growing the tribe of educated youths will be far less than the unproductive expenditure on the consequences of ignorance.
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