ASUU, PARENTS, OTHERS PROTEST AS MORE VARSITIES HIKE FEES

A breakdown of the fees structure indicated that the first-year students of the Faculties of Social Sciences, Agriculture Sciences, Education and Arts would pay N110,000; N85,000 for 200 and 300 levels students while final year students will pay N83,000.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was contained in a statement signed by the Registrar, Dr Christopher Igbokwe and published on the UNN’s website last December.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the Faculties of Business Administration and Environmental Science, 100 Level students will now pay N114,000, while 200 and 300 levels students will pay N85,000; final year students will pay N83,000.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The statement read in part, “Faculties of Physical Sciences and Biological Sciences will now pay N112,000, N85,000, N83,000.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“The Faculty of Engineering will now pay N116,000 N85,000 and N83,000 for year one, others and final year students, respectively.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Faculties of Law and Veterinary Medicine will now pay N119,000; N95,000 and N92,000.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Faculties of Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Health sciences and Basic Medical Sciences will now pay N120,000; N95,000 and 92,000.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The hostel fee was also increased to N35,000 annually.

 

 

 

Students’ protests

 

 

 

In response to the situation, some UNILAG students again on Wednesday took to the streets to express their dissatisfaction with the decision of their school authorities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This marked the second protest by the aggrieved students who were joined by their peers from other universities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The protesters , who were accompanied by the police and other security personnel, called on the school authorities to lower the fees.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Earlier on Tuesday, the students of the University of Jos, Plateau State, blocked the roads leading to their campus in protest and demanded a reversal of the increase in fees and other levies imposed by the university.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Secretary General, Great Ife Students Union, Opeyemi Akinboni, said the body had opposed the fee increment at different meetings held with the management.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Akinboni, however, said the leaders of various faculties and departments would meet and decide the next line of action.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He further said, “In my faculty, as of last session, we paid N28,100; students in Faculties of Science and Agric also paid the same amount. The increment is shocking. The students’ union body had several meetings with the management on the issue and we have always made it known to them that OAU is an indigent school.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Majority of the students on OAU campus are striving to make both ends meet. With this increment now, most returning students will not even return. We have some faculties where students pay N20, 000 and they have now increased it to N89,000.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘’Currently, we are reaching out to faculty, departmental presidents. We want to reach out to them and then discuss the next line of action.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Condemning the decision by the school authorities, Osodeke said the Nigerian constitution prescribed free education but the parents, he noted, were paying for it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He warned that the nation was not funding the education sector adequately, arguing that no nation could survive high students’ drop-outs.

 

 

 

schooling with her hair-making skills to sustain her in school; if not, there is no way I would pull through.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Who knows what will happen next year? Even those who can’t afford (the fee) will definitely withdraw their children from universities nationwide. It is obvious, students are already protesting because they know their parents cannot afford the fees.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also, a former police officer, Mr Samuel Oladunni, who decried the increase in the fee, stated, “My son is a fresher in OAU and the fee is over N190,000 for pharmacy department, and I am a retired police officer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘’My wife is a secondary school teacher. How much is my pension? In fact, my friend has put his son’s education on hold because he can’t afford it. There is no doubt many parents will have to put their children’s education on hold because of the economy. The government needs to consider us, especially now that the prices of things have increased with the subsidy removal.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another concerned parent, Chigozie Okpara, expressed his frustration regarding the recent increase in school fees.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He said, “The truth of the matter is that the government is increasing school fees in federal institutions without considering the economic capacity of parents. At a time when we are experiencing numerous price hikes in various aspects of life, increasing school fees seems unfair for both parents and students.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Okpara highlighted the potential consequences of such an increase, adding that ‘’Many people will not be able to afford it, so it’s like sentencing people to become beggars, constantly relying on friends, uncles, and aunties for financial assistance. This would not be the case if the fees were reasonable and parents could afford them.’’l do think it would lead to mass withdrawal of students since there is no better alternative. “