TheCable

Students of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Ondo state, on Monday staged a protest against the proposed increase in their fees by the management of the institution.

Adegbenro Adebanjo, FUTA’s director of corporate communications, had confirmed in a statement that the university proposed to hike the fees payable by the students.

Adebanjo explained that the planned increase is to cover student-related costs and municipal services such as electricity, water, hostel maintenance, and cleaning amid the rising cost of living.

However, occupied the main gate of the university, created a blockade, prevented passage of humans and vehicles and insisted that management must return to the status quo ante.

Olayemi Oluwasoromidayo, the president of FUTA students’ union government, pleaded with the management of the school to maintain the previous year’s school fees.

He said the students’ body met with the management many times on the matter noting that the authorities did not to yield to their demands.

Oluwasoromidayo pointed out that the management had increased the school fees to over N200,000 for new students.

He said old students who were paying N35,000 would now pay N130,000.

The students’ union president said the protest would continue until their demands are met.

In response, the FUTA management shut down the institution indefinitely.

It also ordered the indefinite postponement of resumption of students for the 2023/2024 academic session.

Adebanjo directed that all students currently on campus and in hostels within the university should vacate them within 24 hours.

The registration of returning students via the university portal and payment of fees by all returning students scheduled to begin on January 15 have also been put on hold.

“The proposed new fees are mainly for student-related services which are sourced from the economy,” he said .

“And the costs of such goods and services provided by the University for the students will certainly be impacted by costs of goods and services in the economy.

“To ensure the 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.

“The costs of providing the services have shot up and the new charges are in response to this.”

Adebanjo said other costs that were adjusted as a result of economic reality include medical examination for all new students.

Also affected are the cost of biometric ID cards, the tertiary institutions students health insurance programme (TISHIP) administered by NHIS 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 communications director added.

“The management has 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.”