The House of Representatives on Thursday called on Tertiary Institutions to adopt a semester-based school fee payment system.
It also urges the Federal Ministry of Education to work closely with institutions and stakeholders in the education sector to provide the necessary support for adopting the school fee payment system.
The call was consequent upon the passage of a motion sponsored by Hon. Sa’ad Wada Taura at plenary.
In passing the motion, the House mandated its Committees on University Education, Polytechnics and Higher Technical Education, and Federal Colleges of Education to investigate the viability of adopting a semester-based school fee payment system while considering the specific needs and circumstances of each institution and report back within four (4) weeks for further legislative action.
Leading debate on the motion, Hon. Taura noted the demand for cost-effective and efficient education financing models in tertiary institutions;
Also, note that the current annual school fee payment system in Nigeria presents financial challenges for students and families given the recent subsidy removal and single-window forex policy.
The lawmaker said he was “Aware of the anticipated benefits of adopting a semester-based school fee payment system for tertiary institutions, also international universities, including the University of California and the University of Sydney, recently implemented semester-based fee payment systems to maximize financial convenience and reduce the strain on students and parents.
“Recognises that adopting the payment system can minimize the financial strain on students, improve access to higher education, and create a more transparent financial structure for institutions”
The motion was unanimously adopted.
