The management of the University of Ibadan (UI) has shut down and suspended academic activities in the citadel of learning for three weeks, beginning today, Saturday August 31.
This was disclosed in a circular released by the school management and signed by its Registra, G.O Saliu on Friday.
The varsity management had met with the leadership of the Students Union on Friday, following the protest against fee increment.
According to management of the school, the three-week break is to allow students to have enough time to pay the school fees and complete their online registration.
It has thereby postponed the first semester examination scheduled for September 2 to September 23.
“The portal for registration will be closed on Friday, 20 September, 2024.
“There will be no re-opening of the portal for fee payment or course registration after 20 September 2024.
“Students who do not register appropriately will not be allowed to write examinations
“All students are to vacate the University Campus latest by 2.00pm on Saturday, 31 August, 2024,” the circular partly read.
Meanwhile, the students union of Obafemi Awolowo, University, Ife-Ile, Osun State, have expressed their support to their colleagues in UI.
In a statement released on Friday by its president, Omoboriowo Isaac, and General Secretary, Babatimehin Joy, it solidarises with students of the University of Ibadan who have taken to the streets to protest subsequent to the release communicating the decision of the University management on the issue of school fee-hike and payment deadline.
The students union said “We find it absurd that the University of Ibadan management has continued to rescind all the promises made to her students during the July 17 negotiations.
“We hold that the notice of the new deadline for school fee payment has come dangerously late and as such, the deadline is unrealistic, impractical and given the teeming economic hardship-will only result in a mass exodus of students from the University.
“We find that 6 days is too short to secure the NELFUND loans, proposed by the University management.”
It vowed to continue to hold that the responsibility of funding education is the duty of the government and that the money made available for the loan scheme be invested directly into the Universities.
The union further called on the UI management to adhere to the demands of the students of its institution and also call on the government to take up, earnestly, the duty of funding education.
“We seize this opportunity to call on the National Association of Nigerian Students to take up the fight for free education.
“One again, we urge the students of the University of Ibadan to stand steadfast in their fight against the oppressive fee regime currently in effect in the University and against other anti-student policies.”
