The news of fees increment in federal tertiary institutions of the country has been making the rounds in recent times. The University of Ibadan (UI), which is one of the most affordable federal universities in the country, has also had its fair share in the hike. Newly admitted students have seen fees ranging from between N133,500 to N372,500 depending on their respective courses on the student portals. The increment was about 450 percent to 750 percent of the previous bundled fees which stood at between N20,000 to N30,000 per session.
University stakeholders which include the Students Union leaders and representatives met with the school management on May 9 to resolve the issue. However, the meeting ended in deadlock as the management gave several reasons for the increment. Nigerian Tribune spoke to UI students to get their opinions about the new fees of the institutions. The students preferred that only first names be used for fear of vicitimisation.
Emmanuel: Increment in school fees is not the next thing to do now because of the current hardship which it cuts across every sector in Nigeria. We have people that are less privileged. Not everybody’s financial status is the same. Some rich people are thinking based on their financial status while others who have great academic potential may be limited because of the increment in school fees.
At this present time, I assure you that several students will drop out of school because they will not be able to cope with the increase. Therefore, increment is not the best thing now. We should find a way to help the youth. School fees should be made affordable to both the privileged and the less privileged.
Victor: The increment in school fees in UI is a major concern for many students and their families. The school management might say the increment is necessary because of the current economic situation in the country as a whole and that they want to improve the quality of education, facilities and infrastructure on campus. However, this increment can make education less accessible to those from lower income backgrounds.
Yes, the increment is needed, but it should be a reasonable percentage, not 100 percent or 150 percent. The percentage increase is too high. I feel an average income family breadwinner won’t be able to afford that.
Lawal: I have no take in as much as I don’t go home.
Galoti: My stance is mainly neutral. First, one would like to criticise the school management for the hike as being inconsiderate to the students; this stance is quite understandable.
However, the school administration is also in a tight place; the cost of running the school is high, and the Federal Government is not really helping matters.
Yet, it’s still unfair to let the students bear the brunt of all these, as the economic situation of the country is already enough of a burden for us.
Therefore, while increasing the fees is understandable, I feel the school should endeavour to put more pressure on the government to make things easier for everybody.
Femi: In an economy that has completely wrecked the standard of living, making studying difficult for students, the government has gone ahead to introduce students’ loans as an alternative to funding thereby making the school management to propose a hike in school fees.
Isn’t education our right? How do they expect me who comes from the lower class in the society to cope? How do I engage in a fight for living, for studying and paying fees at the same time? Yes, I call it cruelty because if implemented, it is strong enough to deprive us of our right to learn, and to serve the country better.
The school fees hike is an act of injustice perpetrated by those who enjoyed free education. I join the host of students to say no. Implementing it means the country has failed us and it is practically impossible for us to sort out how to survive in this grave economy, as well as source for funds to settle tuition fees.
Ayo: Increment is necessary. If we must fight, we should fight the FG.
David: I don’t want any increase in school fees. They should consider those who pay their fees by themselves. Some people are here in federal schools because they cannot afford private institutions though the academic calendar of private universities is more favourable.
That means increment in school fees can make some people drop out if they can’t afford it. I know people close to me who have to go out to work and hustle for themselves before coming for lectures every day. Even with the little fees we are paying, they are hustling to get it.
I’m against the increment, they should leave it as it used to be. Some parents are complaining. In the just concluded session, some indigent students were able to pay the fees because their faculty raised the money for them. If they couldn’t pay then, how will they be able to pay the new fees now?
Ifeoluwapo: In my opinion, the hike in school fees will be hazardous to students. Most of the students in school fund themselves and some are sponsored by their parents who just have enough to sustain themselves. Increment of school fees will lead to students droping out, lack of concentration and even failure. Government should make sure students get an effective education that is affordable. If we deprive students of effective education, it’s as good as just killing the future of the country. And I feel this problem can be alleviated by regulating the economy, availability of job employment amidst many others.
Ore: Even if there will be an increment it should not be as much as that. I feel it shouldn’t be allowed. This is a federal school. If they know they want this, they should have said it while they were wasting our time on strikes.
If they will be increasing it at all, it should not be more than N30,000 because what’s the difference between our fees and that of state institutions?
Abdulsalam: My observation about the increment is that though the school management has their own purpose which is of course a good one, but they didn’t consider the side effects of the increment. One of their reasons is to provide a topnotch education for students and to make everything including the facilities modern ones. Also, the economic imbalances and cost of things have contributed to the increase. But they have forgotten that those attending the institution are not of the same social class. Some parents are poor or average. Not everyone is rich, so this increment would affect the poor families. It would reduce the amount of students the school is going to admit and this is very bad.
I know the university management needs to enhance academic standards. Though the increase is inevitable as other institutions are also increasing their fees, the proposed fees should be reduced.
Ediomo: Personally, I feel that the increment of the school fees should not be so much of a problem if the school is made more conducive and better for students to live and learn in. That’s what the increment should be doing because if the fee is increased and we still have the same problem of power and the likes, then there is no point for the increment.
On the other hand, I think the school fees should be left the way it is because of certain people who might not be able to afford the fees.
Promise: I think the increment in the school fees is absurd. I have people who chose UI because the school fees are cheap and not because it is the ‘first and the best.’
With the current situation in the country, our parents are trying to meet up to this unexpected increment so as not to run into debt. Now UI is coming up with another increment in school fees which is no longer funny because I remember it was when the 2022/2023 set wanted to resume that there was a little increment on the fees (emphasis on little). Students still struggled to meet up with the payments within the stipulated time to the extent that they kept reopening the portal several times for the payment of school fees due to the large number of students who hadn’t made payments yet.
I understand that our school fees are used for the development of certain infrastructure in the school to facilitate better teaching environment. But I think the skyrocketing increment in the fees isn’t necessary because if I knew UI fees were this high, I could have opted for a private or state university. There is no difference in these universities’ fees right now. I think if decisions like these are to be made, the first thing they should consider is the students and their welfare.
I just hope the proposed fees are revisited and there is a reasonable drop in the fees.
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