L. E. OSHIO

This study investigated the Effects of Increase in Tuition Fees on Academic Performance and Business Education Students Enrollment in Tertiary Institutions in Edo State. The research was guided by two research questions. A descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. The population comprised all Business Education students at the University of Benin, from which a sample of twenty (20) students was selected using a stratified random sampling technique. The instrument for data collection was a structured questionnaire, validated by three experts and proven reliable with a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.76. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation). The findings revealed that an increase in tuition fees influences students' academic performance to a high extent (Cluster Mean = 3.00), leading to reduced concentration, increased stress, and difficulty in purchasing learning materials. Furthermore, the increase in tuition fees influences student enrollment to a high extent (Cluster Mean = 3.19), acting as a significant barrier that discourages new students, causes delays in registration, and leads to dropouts. The study concluded that rising tuition fees are a critical challenge that impedes both access to and success in Business Education. It was recommended, among other things, that university management should expand financial aid programs and approach tuition hikes with caution, linking them to tangible improvements in facilities and student welfare.