The management of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi (ATBU) has announced a revised tuition fee schedule for the upcoming 2022/2023 academic session, taking into consideration the financial constraints faced by students. The decision comes after a series of discussions between the university’s management and student leaders.
Prior to this, there were reports of an alleged increase in tuition fees, which the university promptly dismissed. In response to the concerns raised by students, the management clarified that it was in consultation with stakeholders and would release information to the public once a final decision had been reached.
In an official statement, Zailani Bappa, the Director of Information and Public Relations of ATBU, revealed that the revised tuition fees aim to provide greater access to university education for students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
“The university management has developed a new registration fee structure for both returning and new students. Under this new structure, fresh MBBS students will pay a maximum of N150,000, while returning MBBS students will pay N130,000,” Bappa stated.
The statement further outlined that returning students from other faculties and departments will pay a registration fee of N69,700, the lowest fee among all categories. Fresh students in these faculties and departments will pay a slightly higher fee of N79,700.
For international students, the revised fees are set at N230,000 for fresh students and N183,000 for returning students.
Several students expressed their views on the revised tuition fees, noting a slight increase compared to the previous academic session. Previously, fresh students paid N63,000, and returning students paid N45,000.
Victoria Olorunwa, a 300-level student in the Biochemistry Department, shared her perspective on the situation. She mentioned that while there is an increase in the tuition fee, it is balanced out by the university allowing students to pay in installments.
With this recent development, ATBU aims to strike a balance between ensuring access to quality education and covering the operational costs of the institution. The university remains committed to providing a conducive learning environment for students to thrive academically.
