Some issues that had a significant impact on the tertiary education sector in 2023 were the school fees increment, the introduction of student loans, and the removal of tertiary institutions from the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System platform.
Due to new government policy in the sector, the year was a hard nut for vice-chancellor students, lecturers, non-academic staff, and parents.
The government announced the introduction of student loans in June, which led to an increment in obligatory fees across tertiary institutions in the country.
The Vice-Chancellors of some of these universities lamented that the government was not funding the universities enough, as such they were left with no choice but to increase fees to meet the huge financial demands of running a university successfully and meeting global standards.
In reaction to this sudden increment, students took to the streets on their various campuses to protest the fee increment. Unfortunately, the government couldn’t proffer any tangible solution to their requests, having been told that the student loan was their saving grace.
Most university managements were left with no option but to make the process of payment easy for the students, by introducing installment payments, some also helped indigent students to source scholarships and study work to mention a few. University of Lagos and some other schools did a lot in this area.
Also at the tail end of the year, specifically in December, the government announced the removal of tertiary institutions from IPPIS. Users of IPPIS had complained bitterly about the nightmarish experiences they had on the IPPIS platforms. For instance, they complained of the unofficial reduction of salary or no salary at all, IPPIS not capturing all workers for accurate salary, to mention a few.
Their removal from the IPPIS was such a great relief to them.
However, going forward in 2024, Academic Staff Union of Universities president, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, said, “The government should increase the budgetary allocation to education, a little more will make an impact.
“All the issues of funding university appropriation of salaries are issues the minister should look into. He should meet with us and resolve them once and for all in the interest of our children. We want the government to sign our agreements and if there are issues, they should call us to negotiate. We seek payment of our seven and half month’s unpaid salary,” he said.
Also, the National President, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, Mr Mohammed Ibrahim, reiterated that whatever solution the government would introduce should be the one suggested by the union, saying the union should be involved in the transitioning process.