The Lagos State government under the leadership of Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Wednesday, December 7, 2022, announced a reduction of tuition fees for the pioneer students of the two newly established universities: Lagos State University of Education (LASUED), Ijanikin/Epe, and Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH), Ikorodu, by 65 percent.
The management of LASUED and LASUSTECH had proposed a tuition fee of N195,000 for their pioneer students billed to resume for the current academic session before Sanwo-Olu subsidised and slashed it to N68,000.
It was gathered that the decision was in consideration of the present state of the nation’s economy and its impact on parents.
No matter how anyone may want to look at this, we strongly commend this, however, we advocate that this good gesture be extended to those in Lagos State University (LASU) and other state tertiary institutions.
Education, the world over, is seen as the bedrock of development and a vital tool for curbing poverty. Experts believe that education contributes to poverty reduction by increasing the value of efficiency of the labour force and thus enhancing economic growth.
This economic growth is expected to translate into higher income lowering poverty levels. And this is what Sanwo-Olu, the Lagos State governor, has invariably done by slashing the tuition fee for these students.
Poverty is a major threat to the existence of humanity in modern times, especially in the developing world like Nigeria. And education has a way of fostering self-understanding, improving the quality of lives, and raising people’s productivity and creativity, thus promoting entrepreneurship and technological advances.
As it is said, vision is seeing things the way they should be and not the way they are currently. Consequent to this, we say that the way it should be is for the government to make education affordable for its citizens…
In addition, it plays a very crucial role in securing economic and social progress thus improving income distribution which may consequently salvage people from poverty.
It takes a visionary leader to foresee and address the subsequent learning inequality that would have resulted from this, the way and manner the Lagos State governor has done. Imagine the indelible impression he has registered on the hearts of the beneficiaries and their families.
As it is said, vision is seeing things the way they should be and not the way they are currently. Consequent to this, we say that the way it should be is for the government to make education affordable for its citizens and not to rob them of this needful empowerment that has the capacity to transform their lives.
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The political landscape in Nigeria is such an abnormal setting where most leaders would hardly identify with the plights of the masses, except when they, the politicians want to get something from the electorate.
In most states of the federation, what is obtainable is the government hiking tuition fees through the various university management boards citing the same high cost of living as their reasons for the increase.
Hence, despite the government’s poverty eradication campaigns and national development plans, poverty is still a major challenge to the country because of the nonchalant attitudes of the government towards education and other essentials of life.
The cost of living crisis has made it difficult for many families to afford the necessary three square meals on a daily basis, not to talk about meeting the tertiary education needs of their children.
And because the playing field is not equal, the only way to really make tertiary education fair for Nigerians is to make it affordable, if not free for everyone.
If more people could afford tertiary education, more people would probably become graduates. This in turn would lead to a more educated population.
A study has shown that a more educated society results in higher political participation.
And with more educated people involved in the politics of the country, there is more opportunity to make positive changes and move the country forward at a faster rate.
Hence, we enjoin other state governments to emulate Lagos State by reducing the tuition fee of their citizens in their various state tertiary institutions as a way of curbing poverty and empowering the youth for a brighter future.
