Kaduna State governor, Uba Sani, has reduced the current high fees in the state tertiary institutions by 30 percent as students will be paying 70 percent of their fees.

In his remarks during a news conference on the “review of current fees regime in Kaduna State tertiary institutions” held at Government House, Kaduna yesterday, Governor Sani said it was in response to the public outcry over the current fees being charged by tertiary institutions in Kaduna and its effect on school enrolment and retention.

The governor noted that the downward review of the extant fees’ regime aligns with his administration’s commitment to offer palliatives to cushion the effect of general rising cost of living in the polity, especially in the wake of recent petroleum subsidy removal in Nigeria.

He said his administration has prioritised access to education for children and youths of Kaduna State.

Sani said, “You may recall that during the electioneering campaigns and on assumption of office on May 29, 2023, we made a solemn commitment to the citizens of Kaduna State to run a people- centred, all-inclusive administration that shall leave no one or any part of Kaduna State behind.

“I directed heads of tertiary institutions in conjunction with the Ministry of Education to obtain relevant information on the extant fees regime in state owned tertiary institutions.

“At the end of their assignment, they made the following observations and recommendations: That the extant fees’ regime in the state-owned tertiary institutions is burdensome and has led to a significant decline in student enrolments.

“That the extant fees have made many students to either abandon the pursuit of tertiary education or moved to alternative institutions.

“That to reverse the trend mentioned, it is imperative that a competitive fees model should be adopted in our tertiary institutions.

“That the competitive fees model responds to current realities and promotes access to quality education,” he said

“As a caring, responsive and responsible government, we have accepted the recommendations and accordingly reviewed the fees downwards as follows:

“Kaduna State University – Current Fee: N150,000 – Reduction 30% – New Fee: N105,000) Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic – Current Fee: N100,000 – Reduction 50% – New Fee: N50,000.

“College of Education, Gidan Waya – Current Fee: N75,000 – Reduction 50% – New Fee: N37,500) Shehu Idris College of Health Sciences and Technology, Makarfi •HND Courses – Current Fee: N100,000 – Reduction 30% -New Fee: N70,000, ND Courses – Current Fee: N75,000 – Reduction 30% – New Fee: N52,000.

“Kaduna State College of Nursing – Current Fee: N100,000 – Reduction (%): 30% – New Fee: N70,000. The welfare of the people is our topmost priority. Our administration shall continue to take all measures necessary to ensure access to free and qualitative education for every child in Kaduna State from primary to secondary school; expand access to higher education; enhance Teachers’ Welfare and Teaching Standards; improve school infrastructure; build ICT competence in our students from basic education level; and intensify investments in Technical & Vocational Education,” Sani said.