OAU students, authorities clash over fee hike The atmosphere at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife over the past week has been tense following the authorities’ adjustments in the municipal charges payable by the new students of the institution. Many of the students have continued to express their discomfort towards the change, stating that it was inconsiderate on the part of the institution’s authorities. A student who preferred anonymity said he was more than disappointed in the authorities on the decision. “OAU has always been known for its affordable fees and it is a relief for many of us that we could get quality education at a cheap rate and now the fees were just catapulted. Do they want us to drop out of school?” he lamented. Another student, who simply gave his name as Adeola, said, “I’m yet to believe this. How do they expect us to afford that. Besides being one of the best schools in the country, another reason I chose OAU is because of the relatively low fees. This is just too much and we will not condone it,” he said. In a release issued to Campusbeats by the Public Relations Officer of the university, Mr Abiodun Olarewaju, it stated that the old order where new students of the Faculties of Arts, Social Sciences; Sciences, Technology and Pharmacy and the College of Medicine paid N12, 300, N13, 700 or N17, 200 respectively, was no longer realistic in this present-day Nigeria. “Accordingly, the senate of the institution has unanimously agreed to further improve on the ratings of the university as the best in Nigeria, especially in terms of giving sound and quality teachings to its students. It, therefore, enjoined parents and guardians of new students to assist the university in this regard by being financially active in the payment of this fee,” he stated. Although many of the students who spoke with Campusbeats concurred that it could be necessary to increase the fees to give way for better qualitative education, but as oau has always been known as the cheapest federal university in the country, the level of increase was rather too high. At the Faculties of Humanities and Social Sciences where new students used to pay N17, 150, they are now expected to pay N72, 400 for admission charges and N20, 000 for acceptance fees, summing up to N92, 400. New students at the Faculties of Clinical Sciences and Pharmacy, as against the old fee of N22, 150 will now pay N81, 400 for admission charges and N20, 000 for acceptance fees, summing up to N101, 400, while students at the Faculty of Science would pay N78, 400 and an acceptance fee of N20, 000 against the old fee of N22, 150. According to the release, the tuition fee, however, still remains free, while the acceptance fee remains N20, 000. The acceptance fee which was introduced three years ago, also resulted in an uproar by the students, which led to the closure of the university and an immediate proscription of the Students’ Union. The ban on the union which was lifted three months ago, seem to have come at the right time, as the newly elected student leaders in the institution, are fighting hard for the reversal of the situation. Speaking with Campusbeats on behalf of the Students’ Union body, the president, Ibikunle Isaac stated that their position as Great Ife students was no to the increased fees. “The over 320 per cent increase is callous and anti-poor. This is another attack on the poor. Dialogue is currently on course between the management and the union, thus status quo ante must be maintained. “Accordingly, banks are advised not to collect payment in their own interest and parents also should not pay,” he said. Mr Olarewaju, however, also pointed out that the senate had constituted a committee to take care of the financial constraints of indigent students, adding that OAU would continue to do its best in uplifting the standard of education in Nigeria.
Posted on: Mon, 19 May 2014 05:34:25 +0000
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