Parents reject UI fee hike, demand reversal | EduCeleb
Kabeerah Aremu
11th April 2018
Parents of students in the University of Ibadan have rejected the proposed increment in the accommodation and tuition fees by the school management.
The parents who spoke at the Stakeholders’ Forum organised by Nigeria’s premier university on Tuesday expressed their displeasure describing it as unacceptable.
EduCeleb.com recalls that the UI Senate had approved the 114 per cent increment in the accommodation fees, which was increased from N14,000 to N30,000, for regular students and N40,000 for medical students. This led to some protests and eventual ejection of students from their halls of residence.
However, at the forum, which took place at the Trenchard Hall on the university’s campus, the parents asked the institution’s management to rescind the decision. The event was widely attended by hundreds of parents, students and other stakeholders in the premier university.
The Vice Chancellor of UI, Idowu Olayinka, had earlier told audience that the current state of the institution necessitated the upward review of some of the fees being paid by students. Professor Olayinka appealed parents and students to bear with the institution.
But parents argued that the university should rescind its decision due to the current economic situation, which is making the existing fees unaffordable for some parents and indigent students.
They maintained that the meeting which came more than a week after the proposed fees was announced was like “putting a cart before the horse.”
One of the parents, Mr Fashina Olusegun, said it was unfortunate that the university was coming up with the new fees without considering the present economic situation in the country.
Another parent who introduced himself as Elder M.O. Oduronbi, while rejecting the proposed increments, declared the purpose of sending their wards to public institutions would be defeated if the new fees were effected.
While moving a motion for the reversal of the fees, Oduronbi asserted that the university management was also aware that the new minimum wage has not changed from N18,000, hence, the university should not task them the money that they will not be able to pay in line with the current worker’s wages.
Another parent, Mr Umeh Reuben, while narrating his ordeal, said if the new fees were effected, it will affect his three children who are in the institution because he could not afford to pay the fees.
Another angry parent who said he came to the meeting with a bathroom slippers noted that the rationale behind his coming in ordinary slippers was to show “the state of the nation”. There are no signs of the university management rescinding it’s earlier decision after the meeting.