Ogun students demand reversal of fee hike, plan protest

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Ogun State chapter have called on all public tertiary institutions in the state to reverse their hiked fees within four days, or face the wrath of the students.

Francis Adeyanju, Ogun State NANS chairman, speaking with journalists in Abeokuta on Thursday, November 9, 2023 condemned the hike, which he described as the “abnormal increment” in school fees of all the state-owned tertiary institutions.

He cautioned that a mass protest would lead to shutting down the state should the government fail to intervene and ensure that the hiked fees are reversed in the next four days.

Kehinde Matthew, the National President of the National Association of Ogun State Students (NAOSS), who was also available, lamented the increment, which he said is an attempt to prevent vulnerable and indigent students in the state from accessing affordable and qualitative education.

The students, under the auspices of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Ogun State, lamented that some institutions’ hike in school fees was an attempt to make life unbearable for indigent students.

“In Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), returning students are now asked to pay N180,000 as against N76,500 per session, while new students are now to pay as much as N230,000.

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At the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY) the fee have been jacked up from N62,000 to N120,000 for Science students, while non-science students are to pay between N150,000 to N155,000 as against N55,000.

For Ogun State Polytechnic of Health and Allied Sciences, the school fees were increased from N67,000 to N109,000 for indigenous students, while non-indigenous students are now to pay N124,000 as against N77,400,” he said.

The student leaders reiterated that tertiary institutions should not be seen as an avenue to generate revenues but as an avenue to prepare the youths for the future to take leadership positions.

“If nothing is done at the expiration of the four-day ultimatum, we will mobilise our students across the State and shut down the State in a mass protest until our demands are met,” the leaders noted.

Adeyanju expressed displeasure at the “insensitivity” of the managers of the affected schools towards the plights of students and the development of education in the state.