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AAUA alumni urge government, students to shift ground on tuition

By Victor Gbonegun
12 April 2018   |   4:21 am
To resolve the vexed issue of tuition between the management and students of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko (AAUA), Ondo State, members of the alumni association have appealed...

Adekunle Ajasin University(AAUA)

• Tasks management on prudent use of resources
To resolve the vexed issue of tuition between the management and students of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko (AAUA), Ondo State, members of the alumni association have appealed to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu to reconsider the new school fees regime for the institution.

The association also urged the students to shift their hardline stance of ‘no increment’ for the smooth running of the university calendar.

The State Government had last week, through the university’s governing council announced a new tuition regime for students in the state-owned university.

The new fees are- Faculties of Arts and Education: fresh students N150, 000, returning students – N120, 000; Faculties of Science, Agric, Social and Management Sciences: fresh students – N180, 000, returning students – N150, 000; and Faculty of Law: fresh students – N200, 000, returning students – N150, 000. The old fees were between N23, 000 and N35, 000.

President of the association Mr. Patrick Oluyide who made the plea explained that government must take into consideration the fact that majority of the students are from low -income earning parents.

“In appealing to the good conscience of Governor Akeredolu, we would like to say that progressing in one stride from N23, 000 to N200, 000 would amount to changing a public institution to a private one overnight. It must also be noted that majority of the students population are from very humble background and to whom such increase would spell end to their dreams.

“In every way possible, the mathematics of this hike far outweighs the economic capacity of the simple and ordinary people of the state. Such a move could make a well-intentioned initiative counterproductive. Our position is that if there must be an increase, it should be affordable, done in installments and not drastically.”

Commending the level of maturity being deployed by the students to tackle the challenges, the association, however, said, “It is important to also say, that without any reference to what the educational policy of the government of the day could be, the economic environment in which we find ourselves today does require that you reconsider the no- increment position”.

The association noted that while the increment could form part of the institution’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), it added that the current increment is exorbitant, astronomical and unrealistic.

“ Increment from N23, 000 or N35, 000 to N120, 000; N150, 000; N180, 000 and N200, 000 is rather unexplainable, especially in a public institution that has gained reputation for quality and affordability. The N51, 000 non-refundable acceptance fee for fresh students when added to this increase obviously leaves a sour taste in the mind of several parents who have made such payment in good faith of our reputation of quality and affordability”, he said.

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