Nigerian students no longer attend regular lectures due to hardship occasioned by high cost of food, transportation and other items in the country, the National President of Nigerian Association Of Science Students, Comrade Henry Enyinstede has said.
Lamenting the economic crisis in the country, which he noted was also adversely affecting the Nigerian students, Enyinstede, in a press statement on Monday, wondered how students could excel in their fields of studies with the situation staring in their faces.
Noting that students were struggling to go for lectures because of the high cost of transport, he feared that the development was possible of leading them to having poor academic performances.
He said despite the oil earnings, the Nigerian economy finds it difficult to experience an improved lifestyle.
While also noting that the economy was getting tougher by the day, he said the situation was leaving a terrible scar on the Nigerian students.
“The high cost of tuition fees across varsities and other tertiary institutions has rendered the Nigerian students helpless and hopeless because the students union are bought over like hot pot of porridge by school management and are dancing to their tones instead of seeking justice.
“Tuitions are increased annually in some tertiary institutions and the increment is horrific. Even the price of Joint Matriculation Board, JAMB and institutions Post JAMB forms have been increased and these price increment of registration forms are dashing the of hope of aspiring Nigerian students.
“The Nigerian students are enormously hit by the current economic crisis as 90 percent of students rely solely on parents and family members for source of livelihood.
“Students are finding it difficult to feed at least once a day because of the outrageous price of foodstuffs and goods which the sellers blamed on the removal of oil subsidy. They struggle to go for lectures because of the high cost of transportation and this can possibly lead to their poor academic performance,” he added.
Noting that “Nigeria is one of the world’s resource rich economies”, he regretted that the country “continue to be ravaged by poverty.”