FUTA Students Protest 300% Hike in Tuition Fees
Students of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), yesterday, staged a protest at the South and North gates of the institution against hike in fees by the school management.
The students, in their numbers, shut the gates as early as 6:30 a.m., and barricaded the busy Akure-Ilesa highway, resulting in heavy traffic. They demanded immediate reversal of the hike.
Displaying placards with various inscriptions and chanting solidarity songs, the students lamented that the management increased the fees by 300 per cent.
President of the FUTA Student Union (FUTASU), Olayemi Oluwasoromidayo, said it was unwise for the institution to have made the move, in view of current economic challenges in the country.
Oluwasoromidayo said the student body met with the management several times but it refused to yield to demands, hence the decision to stage a protest.
He maintained that the last increment by the institution was barely one year ago.
Oluwasoromidayo pointed out that the management increased the fees to over N200,000 for fresh students, while old students who had been paying N35,000 would now part with N130,000.
He said the students will continue to protest until the management meets their demand.
Meanwhile, the institution has ordered indefinite postponement of students’ resumption for the 2023-2024 academic session.
The institution also directed all students on campus and in hostels to vacate within 24 hours, stressing that tuition is free but certain consumables and payments for municipal services have been increased.
In a statement by Director of Corporate Communication, Adegbenro Adebanjo, the management said: “Registration of returning students via the university’s portal and payment of fees by all returning students for the new academic session via the portal scheduled to begin on Monday, January 15, 2024, have been put on hold.
“It is important to state that the university did not open the portal for registration for returning students for the new session, contrary to what was being bandied about in public domain.
“On the proposed new fees and charges, they are mainly for student-related services that are sourced from the economy. And the costs of such goods and services provided by the university for the students will certainly be impacted by the costs of goods and services in the economy.
“To ensure smooth running of the university, certain consumables and payments for municipal services such as electricity, water, hostel maintenance and cleaning, and sundry other services are necessary, and the costs of providing the services have shot up, and the new charges are in response to this.
“Other costs that were adjusted as a result of economic reality include medical examinations for all new students, biometric ID cards, the Tertiary Institutions Students Health Insurance Programme (TISHIP) administered by National Health Insurance Scheme for students, and the final year book.
“It is important to say that tuition is free and no money is being charged as tuition fee.
“The management reiterates that tuition remains free for all students and that it has an inbuilt mechanism within the system to look into and build consensus on matters affecting students, including charges and fees. And that mechanism is working on this matter, and consensus will be achieved.”
Source: guardian.ng
