Students of all state-owned tertiary institutions across Osun state went on rampage on Monday to protest an alleged hike in the school fees by the government and the management of the institutions.
The students who trooped out in large numbers moved from the popular Olaiya busstop to the state Secretariat, Abeere where they blocked vehicular movement in and out of the premises.
Three of the students however, sustained injuries when the police attempted to disperse them by throwing tear gas in their direction.
Inspite of the heavy security presence, the students marched to the governor’s office where they were received by his Senior Special Adviser on Tertiary Institutions, Bursary, Prof Grace Akinola and the Commissioner for Education, Omotunde Young.
The Chairman of Joint Campus Committee Osun Axis, Saheed Miftau, who spoke on their behalf, alleged that the state government in connivance with the school management hiked the fees of all returning students without any notice, especially with the nation’s current economic situation.
Saheed explained that the fee was increased by about 101% and the students are demanding a reversal to what used to obtain for fresh students.
The students also alleged that most of the fees presently demanded for, such as the ICT fee, development Levy, entrepreneurship fee among others had always been in existence and there was no justification for them.
In response, the Vice Chancellor of the Osun State University, Prof Labode Popoola said the increase in the fees became imperative for the Institutions to be able to realistically provide high quality teaching and learning experiences for the students.
He said the inability of the state government to fund the Institutions forced the management to look inwards.
Popoola also explained that coupled with the present economic realities, the management had no choice than to increase the fees for the incoming students of the 2017/2018 session presently on.
He said the decision was arrived at with the university community as well as relevant stakeholders like the Alumni Association, students, parents and workers unions all carried along.
He stated that with the revised fees the fresh students who used to pay between 95 – 125 thousand Naira excluding acceptance fees will now be paying between 200 – 235 thousand Naira excluding the acceptance fee which is N40,000 per session depending on the faculty.
As at the time of filling this report, the students who sustained injuries have been taken to the state hospital, Asubiaro, Osogbo for treatment.
