Students of Kaduna State University (KASU) on Tuesday staged a peaceful protest to the Kaduna State Government House against what they termed the arbitrary increase in tuition fees.
The students had, last week, carried out similar protest within the institution’s premises along Tafawa Balewa Kaduna.
The students, who were in their thousands, carried placards with various inscriptions such as “we are orphans, reverse the fees,” “please, help us to get an education and not kill our dreams of getting educated,” and “education should be for all not only for the children of the rich,” among others.
Although the students could not gain access to the Government House because they were prevented from doing so by security operatives, they took over the road and apparently blocked the road leading to the Government House and chanted solidarity songs such as “education must be free.”
Some of the Muslim students had their prayers on the road while it was gathered that three of the protesting students were allowed entrance into the Government House to meet with a government official over the matter, and subsequently presented a letter of appeal for onward delivery to Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
One of the students, Comrade Yusuf Shehu appealed to the Governor to reconsider his stance on the increment so that the children of the poor can attain education.
“We are appealing that the increase should be reversed, because with the present increment, most students will be forced to drop out except something is done about it.
“Even with the former fee, it was very difficult for some students to pay, most of them have to do menial jobs to be able to pay their schools fees, some of us are orphans.
“We are appealing and not making it a must, because even the cost of living is not easy to come by now, some of our parents have been relieved of their jobs, so it makes it more difficult for us,” he stressed.
While the peaceful protest lasted, there was temporary gridlock on the road leading to Government House.
