Students are reportedly prepared to drop out over tuition hike

Following the tuition fee hike at Adekunle Ajasin University in Ondo State, some indigent students are reportedly prepared to withdraw from the institution due to their inability to pay their new fees.

According to New Telegraph, following the tuition hike, which wasincreased from N30,000 to N180,000, some students have allegedly shunned the ongoing registration, which is billed to end on Saturday, May 26, 2018.

One of the students of the University, Richard Olaosebikan, who spoke with newsmen said he was yet to pay the new school fees, as he is still struggling to meet up.

The 300-Level undergraduate of the Department of Political Science said he is trying to talk to some people who could help him before the payment deadline.

“Paying new fees has been difficult for me because things are very hard. I have struggled to make part-payment and I hope I could meet up to pay the rest before the close of portal on Saturday. I am speaking to some people who could help me and I pray they respond before then. I am presently in school to see what I can do and I hope that I will meet up” he said.

Another student, Success Ibitoye while speaking with New Telegraph said he might be forced to drop out of the university if he receives no assistance before Saturday.

ALSO READ:Bishop Oyedepo explains how his adopted son was rusticated from CU

Recall that on Thursday, April 5, 2018, the university authorities announced the increment in a statement signed by the Chairman of the Governing Council, Dr Tunji Abayomi.

In the statement, the management said it has ''approved payment per semester for students who cannot afford to pay the full school fees at once.”

This prompted the students to stage a protest threatening to make Ondo State ungovernable for governor Rotimi Akeredolu if he does not reduce their school fees.

The protesting students barricaded major roads in the state capital, Akure, causing a lot of traffic as they expressed their displeasure with the state governor.

Some of the students carried placards with different inscriptions such as “Akeredolu Must Not Send Us Away From School, No To Hike In Our School Fees,” Education Is Our Right,” Aketi Enjoyed Free Education, He Must Not Take It From Us and Remove Increment Or We Will Make The State Ungovernable,” among others.

However, despite the meetings and dialogue between the state government and students representative, the tuition fee was not reduced.

Recently, tuition hike seems to be the new trend in Nigerian Universities. Recall that Medical students of the University of Ibadan on Thursday, April 6, 2018, protested against increment in accommodation and introduction of professional training fee of N100,000.

Kwara state Polytechnic students protest tuition fee hike