Toto (Nasarawa) – The Nasarawa Government has warned proprietors of private higher institutions in the state against charging exorbitant school fees.
Alhaji Husseini Abubakar, the state overseeing Commissioner for Higher Education, gave the warning while addressing the management of Suleiman Memorial College of Education, Gadabuke, Toto local government area of the state.
Abubakar said that charging exorbitant fees was inimical to educational growth, peace and national development.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Alhaji Aliyu Abdullahi, the commissioner said parents, who are mostly peasant farmers and less privileged in the society, were already over burdened with various family needs.
He said: “The aim of our inspection tour is not to witch hunt any management or proprietor of any private tertiary institution in the state but to ensure that all private schools are operating based on approval and specification.
“The visit is also to ascertain the desirability of establishing such schools, the strength of the academic programme, physical structure, manpower requirements, and the state of government and the institution regulatory body’s approval.
“I want to advise you and the operators of other private institutions to improve on your facilities by creating enough enabling environment for learning and teaching so as to meet with an international standard for the overall development of the state and the country at large.
“I want to call on you and advise the proprietors or management of private schools in the state to charge moderate fees and to avoid exorbitant fees so as to reduce the burden on parents of students who are mostly peasant farmers and less privileged in the state.”
According to him, charging moderate school fees would help reduce the hardship been faced by parents and students as well as complement government efforts in providing qualitative education in the country.
However, Abubakar lauded the operators of private higher institutions for complementing government efforts in providing quality education for its citizens and called on them to avoid any sharp practices that would tarnish their image and that of the country.
He also called on the students to take their studies seriously in order to excel in their academic pursuit as well as to justify their parents and government huge investment in the education sector for the benefit of all.
The commissioner restated the state government commitment in improving on the standard of education and called on the people of the state to support Gov. Tanko Al-Makura administration beyond 2015 in order to enjoy more dividend of democracy.
Responding, Alhaji Mohammed Suleiman, Proprietor of Suleiman Memorial College of Education, Gadabuke, thanked the commissioner and his entourage for the visit and called on the state government not to relent in its effort in improving on the standard of education in the state.
He said: “This school was established to address the education backwardness of our people as well as complementing government efforts in providing qualitative education, this is because education is the best legacy parents and government should leave for its citizens.’’
