Students of the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo state, have embarked on a fresh protest over tuition hikes by the institution’s management.
The protest which commenced early in the morning on Friday saw the protesters blocking the main entrance of the institution, thereby, forcing the people to trek long distances.
The protesters decried the approval of the tuition hikes by the management noting the prevailing economic situation in the Country.
The governing council, during its meeting held at the institution on Thursday, approved the fee increase.
The students during the protest displayed placards with inscriptions such as, “We say no tuition hikes” “The management is insensitive to our plights, “Our parents cannot afford the new hikes”
The students insisted that academic activity would be put on hold until the management rescind its decision
A student from the Department of Human Nutrition, said that students in the department paid N58,000 during the last session.
However, she was surprised when the fees were increased to N138,350 for the new session.
“n our department, Human Nutrition, during the 2022/2023 session, we paid N58,000, and now for the 2023/2024 session, we were asked to pay N138,350,” she said.
A student from the Department of Animal Science said that fees in the department had also been increased.
He added that the majority of the returning students have yet to pay the new school fees.
“In the Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, we paid N70,000 for the 2022/2023 session, and now for the 2023/2024 session, it has been increased to N150,000.
“Most of us have not seen the money. We are yet to pay. The students are protesting now. We cannot attend lectures,” he said.
Education Rights Campaign (ERC) which showed solidarity to the students, lamented that public education is in crisis.
