Reps call for semester-based school fee payment in tertiary institutions

Members of the House of Representatives have urged the management of tertiary institutions in the nation to adopt a semester-based school fee payment system.

According to the Reps, this development will reduce the hardships associated with the current session-based payment method.

The call comes after the adoption of a motion moved by Taura Sa’ad, a member of the All Progressives Congress representing Ringim/Taura Federal Constituency, Katsina State.

Sa’ad who led the motion titled, “Call on Nigerian universities and tertiary institutions to adopt a semester–based school fee payment system,” observed the pressing need for affordable education financing models in tertiary institutions nationwide.

“The House notes 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”

“We are aware of the anticipated benefits of adopting a semester-based school fee payment system for tertiary institutions,” he said.

Sa'ad added that 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.”

He further noted that the House  “recognises that adopting the payment system can minimise the financial strain on students, improve access to higher education, and create a more transparent financial structure for institutions.”

The legislators therefore encouraged tertiary institutions to embrace a semester-based school fee payment system, urging 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 House also required the 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 weeks for further legislative action.”