The authorities of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, have increased fees for returning students by 300 per cent.

Before the emergency meeting, returning students in the Faculties of Technology and Science paid N28,100 per session, while those of the Faculty of Pharmacy paid N31,100 per session.

A statement by the institution’s public relations officer, Abiodun Olarewaju, indicated that fresh students in the Faculties of Arts, Law and Humanities would pay N151,200 while their returning counterparts would pay N89,200.

Mr Olanrewaju said fresh students in the Faculties of the College of Health Sciences and Pharmacy would pay N190,200. He said the old students would pay N128,200, a 312 per cent increase from the former fee.

He said new students in the Faculties of Technology and Science would pay N163,200 while returning students would pay N101,200, a 260 per cent increase.

“The decision was taken by the Senate of the university at its emergency meeting on Tuesday, September 12.

“The management, therefore, wishes the students resounding success in their academic programmes,” he said. 

The development comes weeks after the University of Lagos (UNILAG) announced a 400 per cent increase in tuition. This development may force students out of school as Nigerians grapple with economic hardship.

This has led to a series of protests in the institution, with the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) warning other tertiary institutions and unity schools nationwide against increasing their fees, as students would not hesitate to protest the move.

NANS recounted that the federal government had directed institutions to halt increments in school fees but said the challenges of underfunding in the education sector must be addressed. 

(NAN)