The recent decision by Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, to implement a drastic increase in tuition fees has sparked widespread outrage among students of the Ogun State-owned institution.
The revised tuition fees, unveiled on the school’s portal on Thursday, reveal staggering hikes, prompting vehement protests from students.
Under the new fee structure, Nursing students are now required to pay N450,000 instead of the previous N187,000, while Engineering and Law students face an increase to N350,000 each.
Economics students are also affected, with their tuition fees raised to N300,000.
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The Faculty of Management Sciences witnesses a substantial jump from the current N114,000 to N300,000, a trend mirrored in the Faculties of Arts, Social Sciences, and Basic Medical Sciences. Students in the Faculty of Education are now expected to pay N275,000.
A detailed analysis of the revised tuition fees reveals an alarming increase ranging from 120 percent to almost 200 percent.
These exorbitant fees must be settled before students can access their examination results for the last session, placing additional strain on both students and their families.
Students currently on vacation have taken to social media platforms to voice their discontent, condemning the university’s authorities for what they perceive as insensitivity.
Many question the feasibility of their parents sourcing funds to cover the new tuition fees, particularly amid the prevailing economic hardships.
In response to the uproar, the University’s Students Union Government has urged protesting students not to pay the revised fees posted by the university’s management on the institution’s portal.
The Union’s President, Ogunsanya Bamidele, and Mercy Ojo, the Public Relations Officer, expressed shock at the exorbitant fee hikes, emphasizing that education should not be treated as a profit-making venture, and students should not be exploited for financial gain.
The student leaders have called on their peers to ignore the new tuition fees, challenging the university’s approach to education as a business.
Meanwhile, the university has declared that results for the last semester, concluding on December 8, will not be released until the new fees are paid.
Amidst the tense atmosphere, the university’s management is yet to inform students who vacated since December 8 about the resumption date for the next academic session.
In an attempt to address the escalating situation, student leaders are scheduled to engage in discussions with the university management.
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