Caleb University, one of the second generation private universities based in Imota, Lagos has imposed a whooping N150 million surcharge on all its students to offset the alleged damages done to the school’s property during a riot by some male students on May 13.
The male students had allegedly protested against what they described as the school’s “very strict dress code and other strict code of conduct.”
Following the protest, the school authorities ordered all the students to vacate the campus on May 15, and await further directives.
However, some of the parents were said to have been shocked when they received text messages on Saturday, May 23 from the university, asking male students to pay N100,000 each and females to pay N50,000 each as surcharge for damages to the school’s property.
The payment, according to the statement, which was forwarded to our correspondent by one of the parents, is a precondition for allowing the students back into the campus when the school reopened on Monday June 2.
The school with a student population of about 1,500 students is expected to rake in about N150 million from the surcharge for damages which sources put at barely N2 million.
A concerned parent who spoke under anonymity remarked angrily during a conversation with our correspondent, stating that “How can they force us to pay so much for damages. The university authorities have seen this riot as another opportunity to milk parents.
“They are so stupid, greedy, callous and heartless. Rather than fish out the culprits and punish them appropriately, they are scheming to make money from the crisis.
“What kind of repairs are they trying to do with about N150 million? Are they planning to build a new university by exploiting parents? The NUC must step in to save parents from these exploiters at Caleb University,” the aggrieved parent said.
The text message sent to parents by the university on May 23 reads: “CUL parents and students are hereby notified that school resumes Mon, June 2.
“Exams start Mon, June 9. Male students are to pay N100,000 while the female would pay N50,000 by bank draft into Ecobank Account 1993000979 to offset damage to school property. Balance of school fees should be paid into Sterling Bank Acct. 0020022195.
“No student would be allowed into the university premises without evidence of payment of school fees and the surcharge. A guarantor must accompany each student with a letter of undertaking to be of good behaviour.”
