LASU Is Violating Our Right To Education —SERAP

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP has said that the new Lagos State University, LASU tuition fee increase is wrong and unhelpful.

In a statement issued by the group on Friday, they urged the government to reverse the tuition fees saying: the government needs to “urgently reverse the increase as we consider this to be manifestly unfair, unjust, discriminatory and retrogressive.”

SERAP Executive Director, Mr. Tokunbo Mumuni, told the state to stop this recent increase in fees.

He said: ”By reversing the tuition fees, your government will be demonstrating its sacred duty to promote equality in the society, and showing respect for international law requiring states to move towards free higher education when setting fees policy.”

“We believe that next in importance to freedom and justice is access to quality education, without which neither freedom nor justice can be maintained.

“The increased tuition fees have constituted a disincentive to poorer students attending LASU, because we continue to receive reports of decreasing level of enrolment to the school due primarily to the increased fees.

“We believe that the increased tuition fees discriminate against poorer students. As most students wishing to attend LASU cannot do so on the grounds of their economic and social conditions, their right of access to education is clearly being severely curtailed, if not extinguished.

“A hike in fees cannot be in the best interests of the child, which is a fundamental principle entrenched in international law, in particular, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which Nigeria has ratified.”

SERAP had recently dragged Coca Cola and Nigerian Bottling Company to the UN Committee over seriouse breaches of corporate responsibility to respect the right to health of Nigerians.

Source: Legit.ng