Reps to probe payment of ‘high acceptance fees’ in public varsities

The house of representatives has asked its committee on tertiary institution and services to investigate “high acceptance fees” charged by some government-owned tertiary institutions in the country.

Acceptance fees are usually paid by students offered admission in universities.

The resolution of the house to order an investigation into the payment of “high acceptance fees”, followed a motion moved by Julius Ihonvbere, lawmaker from Edo, during plenary session on Wednesday.

Leading the debate, Ihonvbere said arbitrary high acceptance fees charged by some public universities for new students across the country has become a matter of great concern to many families.

The lawmaker noted that acceptance fees in some institutions of learning have become “mere internal revenue-generating mechanisms, thus constituting an impediment to the smooth process of entry into universities”.

He added that if left unchecked, the situation may reduce the number of students gaining admission into tertiary institutions in the country.

“Also, aware that while some of the institutions are charging minimal fees, others are charging astronomically, whereas, others do not charge anything. Most institutions do not charge acceptance fee against tuition fees, thus raising the question as to whether the institutions were not established under
the same law,” he said.

“Worried that the dire consequences of exorbitant acceptance fees in our public universities have led to many indigent students losing their admission as a result of their inability to afford the fees.”

The motion was adopted after it was put to a voice vote by Femi Gbajabiamila, speaker of the house.

The lower legislative chamber also urged the federal government to increase funding of public universities.

Meanwhile, the lawmakers had, in November 2019, directed the National Universities Commission (NUC) to “abolish the payment of acceptance fees in all tertiary institutions”.