Despite President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive that federal government owned universities should not increase school fees on students, the University of Lagos, UNILAG, has slammed new charges on its earlier increments.
The school this week imposed N50,000 charges on fees it earlier increased to N140,000 and above.
This happens to be the latest in a series of fee hikes under the administration of the current Vice Chancellor Professor Folasade Ogunsola, who happens to be the school’s first female head, appointed October 2020.
In addition, the school has increased accommodation fees for undergraduates to about 400 per cent, from N25,000 to N100,000, while medical students would pay N120,000.
The new increments join the ones of July 20 when the university raised fees by about 900 per cent,
Instead of last session’s N19,000, UNILAG now charges N190,250 for students studying Medicine, while courses requiring laboratory and studio facilities need students to pay N140,250.
The National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, July ending wrote the management of UNILAG to reverse the initial increments.
Students and their parents are already groaning, complaining and kicking against the new fees.
Some have expressed doubts about the assurances that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu gave to Nigerians that tuition in universities remained free.
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According to the newly released charges, the school has added for final-year students in the Arts and Social Sciences faculties:
- Utility Charge –N20,000
- Undergraduate Convocation Fee –N30,000
- Undergraduate Obligatory Fee –N140,250.
The National Association of Nigerian Students Joint Campus Council, NANS JCC, Lagos State, had declared a protest last week against the hike in UNILAG school fees, but for the intervention of the Commissioner of Police, Mr Idowu Owohunwa.
The Police Commissioner also set up a Police-Student Relations Committee, PSRC, to address issues that might arise from the meeting in the future.
However, it is not clear how NANS JCC would react to the new increases.
