10 universities opt out, debunk claims on planned tuition fees increment by FG 

About ten Nigerian universities, owned by Federal and State governments as well as privately-owned institutions of higher learning in Southwest, Nigeria have debunked claims by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) that owners of such schools have resolved to increase tuition fees on the account of poor funding of institutions higher learning across the country.

All the ten Federal and State governments as well as privately-owned institutions spoken to on Tuesday by a team of correspondents from BusinessDay, noted that the reports credited to one Dr Deji Omole, ASUU Chairman, Ibadan chapter that owners of 38 schools across the country wanted to increase tuition over poor funding that is ravaging such institutions were mischievous and misleading, capable of causing chaos in the university system.

The reports said that Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife (OAU) has resolved to increase tuition fees from N19,700 to N55,700; Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), from N13,560 to N83, 940; University of Ilorin, Ilorin (UNILORIN) from N16,000 to N75,000; Osun State University, from N95,000 to N135,500; Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijebu-Ode (TASUED), from N66,500 to N75,500.

Others are Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta (MAPOLY) which was said to have increased tuition fees from N57,000 to N75,000; Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomosho (LAUTECH) from N65,000 to N72,500; Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD) from N675,000 to N1,075,000; Crawford University, Igbesa, from  N400,000 to N600,000 and Redeemers University,  Ede from N545,000 to N605,000.

Speaking singed and released by Kunle Akogun, the Head Corporate Affairs, UNILORIN says, “The attention of the management of the University of Ilorin has been drawn to news reports in some newspapers yesterday lusting UNILORIN among 38 universities that have increased their tuition fees.

“We want to state categorically that  there is no iota of truth in the report. The university’s management has never met to decide on any fees increase because we are still running the 2016/2017 academic session. And in any case, UNILORIN, being a Federal Government Institution doesn’t charge tuition fees, as tuition is free in public universities. The little charges we collect are for utilities  and not for tuition.”

Abiodun Olanrewaju, Public Relations Officer of OAU, stated that although there may be paucity of funds from the Federal Government in running the Institutions of higher learning, which might have prompted some Universities to upwardly review their fees, but the situation in OAU is quite different.

“For the avoidance of doubt, there is no meeting, either of the University management or Senate, where the fee increment was announced, and the Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Tope OGUNBODEDE, has not contemplated on increasing any fee in OAU. In actual fact, his administration is poised to making the welfare of staff and students a topmost priority.”

Professor Oluyemisi Obilade of  TASUED, said, “TASUED has not increased school fees. The report is mischievous and an unnecessary distraction.The fees for fresh students and returning undergraduates are still as earlier approved and implemented for the current session just winding up. Just to set the records straight.”

For ABUAD, Tunde Olofintinla, Director of Corporate Affairs and Communications, said,  “We have not increased our tuition fees, I don’t know where those guys (ASUU) get their information from. We have not increased out fees, simple and clear.”
Sulaiman Adebiyi, Public Relations Officer, MAPOLY wondered why some people would sit somewhere and concoct lies, saying: “We have not sat down for a day and deliberate on it. I don’t know where the stories emanated from. We have been retaining our fees for three to four years now, we have out tuition fees on our portal, and no ambiguity about it.”
Although, spokespersons of both Osun State University and crisis-ridden Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) jointly owned by Oyo and Osun states could not be reached as of press time, a Source from Osun state government informed BusinessDay that “Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has never thought of adding more problems to both parents and students.
“Osun state government has never thought of tuition fees increment in healthy Osun State University let alone ailing LAUTECH.”
Both faith-based Redeemers University, Ede and Crawford University, Igbesa quoted in the stories could not talk on the planned tuition fees increase, but some senior pastors that confided in our correspondents described as a ruse which must be taken seriously by either parents or students, saying: “we don’t have such plans to burden our parents.”
But, Adegbenro Adebanjo, Director of Public Relations, Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) could not be reached, feelings and side talks gathered in Akure main campus of the University don’t signify that FUTA is ready for tuition fees increment as students even pledged “to protest against it if anybody wants to increase our tuition fees.”

 

RAZAQ AYINLA, SIKIRAT SHEHU, Ilorin & BOLA BAMIGBOLA, Osogbo