Katsina FCE students lament arbitrary charges

Students of the Federal College of Education (FCE), Katsina, Katsina State, have lamented over arbitrary charges by the school authority.

A student who did not want his name in print told our reporter that in addition to the registration fee there are other charges which the students had to pay at different places.

• Motorists groan over hike in registration, licence fees
  How Plateau’s new crises may threaten Lalong’s peace legacy

He said, “Even for you to pay the registration fees, you have to generate Remita, which costs N1,000, in addition to three other receipts indicating payment of N200 each.

“Then, at the department, you pay N500 to the Head of Department and another N200 to the deanery. As for us, the social studies students, we also pay N3,500 for field trip; also at the department.”

Another student said he had to pay N1,300 at the education department as it was mandatory for every student irrespective of their course of study. He said he paid another N2,500 for National Education Verification System (NEVS), as well as N500 which he was told was for course form and exams card.

Com Maska said, “It is true that some students, especially the new comers, do complain about it, but it is not peculiar to this school, it is the same everywhere you go. It cannot be centralised because of the issue of TSA.’’

When contacted, the Dean, Students Affairs of the school, Malam Kabir Ahmad, said the charges were in most cases for the different student associations which did not go into the coffers of the school.

Malam Kabir explained that, “They have different student associations in addition to the SUG such as Hausa Students Association, other departmental associations and recreational associations, and it is common with any other school.”

He further said, “With the Treasury Single Account (TSA), we will not allow their money to go into that account. They have their different accounts and we regulate how they collect and spend such funds and the college has nothing to do with that money.”

He added that other charges were for excursions, log books for SIWES, academic gown, alumni association, among others.