Some universities have described as false the statement by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU that they had increased tuition due to poor funding from the Federal Government.
ASUU had in a statement by the Chairman of the University of Ibadan chapter, Dr. Deji Omole, on Monday reportedly said that 38 higher institutions had hiked their tuition fees.
It had also stated that the increase might not be unconnected with poor funding from the state and federal governments and lamented the hardship faced by Nigerians under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Among others, the union had reportedly listed the Federal University of Technology Akure, FUTA, (From N19,000 to N83, 340.00, University of Benin (from N12,000 to N49,500), Igbinedion University ( from N540,000 to N820,000), Benson Idahosa University ( from N280,300 to N1,150,000 and the Federal Polytechnic, Auchi (from N14,800 to N28,000), as the institutions affected in Edo State.
However, a statement by Adegbenro Adebanjo, Head, Information and Protocol, FUTA, said that “For the avoidance of doubt, no such decision has been taken at any level in the University. The fees payable by students remain what they were before the erroneous report.”
According to the Dean of Students Affairs, Professor Kayode Alese, ”Students’ School Fees have not been increased in the last five years and the entire University Community is requested to disregard the purported increase in the fees”.
The management of the University of Benin said that there was no recent increase in the fees paid by its students.
The Public Relations Officer of the institution, Michael Osasuyi, urged parents to verify the fees payable by the students from the university’s official website.
Osasuyi stated, “The university has not increased any fees. When you look at that paper (ASUU’s statement), you will discover that it was not ASUU-UNIBEN that said so. As of this morning, UNIBEN has not increased school fees.
“We do not know where the issue of N12,000 to N49,500 is coming from. We want to appeal to parents that if they even go to our online platform, they will see that the University of Benin has not increased fees. Parents should try as much as possible to verify.”
The management of BIU stated that while the tuition charged for its Law programme was the same as claimed by ASUU, it was neither increased recently or due to poor funding from government.
“There is no increase. The report is very false. The fee for Law only is N1,150,000; it used to be N980,000,” a source in the information unit of the university said.
“It was increased last year, not now. No other course is as expensive as Law,” the source added.
On his part, the Vice-Chancellor of Igbinedion University, Okada, Prof. Eghosa Osaghae, said that the institution had no plan to hike its fees.
Osaghae, in a statement, said, “Please be informed that contrary to the post on increased fees making the rounds, Igbinedion University, Okada has not increased fees, and has no plans to do so.
“In fact, rather than increase, we have lightened the burden of paying fees by allowing parents to pay in instalments. I make these submissions as the Vice Chancellor of the university.”