OAU Students Demand Reversal of Tuition Fee Hike

Students at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife, Osun State, have taken a stand against the recent tuition fee increase, calling on the Federal Government to reverse the decision. The President and General Secretary of the institution’s Students’ Union, Abbas Ojo, and Akinboni Sunday made this demand in an official statement.

Last Wednesday, the university’s management announced adjustments to the tuition fees that students would be required to pay for the upcoming academic session, prompting swift opposition from the student body.

In their statement, the students highlighted the critical issue of sudden fee hikes and the overall state of education funding in Nigeria. They emphasized that education is fundamental to a nation’s development and progress and expressed concern that, in a country as great as Nigeria, education is becoming a privilege accessible only to the wealthy.

OAU Students Demand Reversal of Tuition Fee Hike

The current education funding situation in Nigeria, they noted, has resulted in severely limited access to quality education, hindered academic resources, and placed significant financial burdens on students and their families.

As part of their protest, the students demanded that the school management promptly reverse the fee increment and urged financial institutions, particularly Remita, to suspend any payments from OAU until the issue is resolved. They warned that bank branches in Ife and OAU campus would be shut down if their demands were not met.

The Students’ Union also communicated with various banks, instructing them to stop accepting fee payments from OAU students until a satisfactory resolution was reached. They emphasized that they were running out of options and might need to escalate their actions by shutting down all activities on campus and potentially in campuses across the country if the university authorities did not address the issue.

Additionally, the students called on the federal government to take decisive action by increasing the budget allocation for education, ensuring that schools are adequately equipped and staffed to provide quality education. They urged the government to implement policies that promote accessibility to schools and enhance investment in lecturer training and professional development programs.

The demands from OAU students highlight the ongoing challenges in the Nigerian education system, particularly concerning funding and access to quality education. The students are advocating for policies and actions that can alleviate the financial burden on students and families, ultimately promoting a better educational environment for all.

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