Authorities of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) yesterday bowed to pressure from the students of the institution to reverse the increment in the fee for late registration.
This followed a protest launched by students of the university against the decision of the authorities to increase the fee for late course registration from N5,000 to N25,000 and the introduction of N5,000 fee for online editing.
It was also gathered that students were being asked to pay up to N1, 000 to register for GST courses.
As early as 7am, the students shunned the heavy rain and barricaded the main gates of the university, disrupting academic activities on the campus. They bore placards with inscriptions like: “Late registration fee of N25,000 is illegal”, “No reversal of the illegal fees, no exam.”
Shops owners refused to open their shops and traffic stood still while the protests lasted.
The Director of the Centre for Information Technology and Systems (CITS), UNILAG, Prof. Alex Ike Mowete, who attempted to address the students, was booed. It took the timely intervention of some students’ leaders to save him from being mobbed by the angry students.
He was hurriedly moved into the nearby mosque where he stayed till students left the area.
Students were seen chanting war slogans and calling on the Vice Chancellor, Prof Rahmon Bello, to reverse the decision. They also went to the recently-unveiled statue of the deceased Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof Adetokunbo Babatunde Sofoluwe near the Senate building, invoking his spirit to save them from the ‘draconian’ law.
One of the protesting students said: “The normal late registration fee used to be N5,000, but we were surprised to discover that even when the portal was said to have been reopened, we could not gain access, and enquiries at the office of the Dean of Students’ Affairs revealed that we would need to pay another N25,000 instead of the usual N5,000.
“In fact, this is against the fact that another N5,000 had been introduced at the beginning of this session, which they tagged NHIS fee. We feel that it would not be right for the management to just think they can be milking us dry. Our parents are paying tax but we cannot see what the taxes are being used for. So, we cannot be overburdened again.”
Also speaking, the Public Relations Officer of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), South West, Comrade Olatinwo Jeremiah, a 400 level student of Building Technology described the increment as an injustice to them.
“UNILAG students are agitating for the reversal of payment of GST fees as well as the imposed fees on editing of course forms which was free. Students are now asked to pay N5, 000 to edit courses. Late registration payment has also been increased from N10,000 to N25,000. All the students demand is the reversal of these payments.
“Early this morning, we demanded to see the Vice Chancellor, but we were told he was called to Abuja this morning to attend a Council of Vice Chancellors meeting. Some other management staff attempted to talk to the students, but they were booed as the main aim was to see the Vice Chancellor.
“However, the Dean of Students Affairs has announced that the portal has been opened for free editing of courses. Though I have not personally confirmed, some students said they have confirmed it.”
The NANS spokesperson noted that all the demands of the students must be met before Monday morning to avoid disruption of the forthcoming convocation scheduled to hold on Tuesday and Wednesday next week. He added that if the management remained adamant, the whole of NANS, South West would dabble into the case and mobilise students across all tertiary institutions in the South West for mass protest.
Adeniji Leke, a 500 level student of law in the institution and the acting coordinator of the Committee for Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), UNILAG Chapter, noted that the protest was a child of necessity considering the ‘unthinkable increment’ of late course registration and editing fees. He asserted that the portal should be opened for free editing before examination.
source:http://thenationonlineng.net/new/unilag-bows-protesting-students/
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